



















































(liiss TZio 

Book_. S '& 5 

l^UKSKXTEI) 15\’ 

I>:*r 





3>4-ci5n5 


IN THE JUNGLE 

WITH CHEERUPS AND THE QUIXIES 





It s au animal! ’ cried Cheerups out loud 
FRONTISPIECE. See page 92. 



IN THE JUNGLE 

WITH CHEERUPS AND 
THE QUIXIES 

BY 

GRACE BLISS STEWART 

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY 

MORGAN STINEMETZ 


R on-kefer T 



^WVAD ♦ Q3S 


BOSTON 

LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 

1923 













Copyright, 1923, 

By Little, Brown, and Company. 
AU rights reserved 


Published September, 1923 


SIFT 

pueusi-j:: 

*f’ri 'T >24 


Pbikted ih the United States of Amebica 



MY MOTHER AND AUNT 


THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS 
AFFECTIONATELY 
DEDICATED 


CONTENTS 

Chapter Page 

I The Path to Cheerups^ Door 1 
II Jumping Into the Jungle . 9 

III Gray Ears the Elephant 

Comes to Call. 19 

IV Lizzie Lizard’s Loss .... 27 

V Honey Ratel’s Sweet Tooth 33 

VI Mr. Lion Finds Himself in a 

Tight Place . 41 

VH Mr. Lion’s Whiskers .... 47 

VIII Polly Parrot’s Dilemma . . 53 

IX Mrs. Ostrich Goes to IMarket 59 

X Don Dromedary’s Disposition 65 

XI The Problem of the Nerv¬ 
ous Gnu. 73 

XII Ranny Rhino has the Blues 79 

XHI The Magic Ear Muffs ... 85 

XIV Raffy Giraffe Finds His 

Tongue. 91 






CONTENTS 


• • • 

Vlll 

Chapter Page 

XV Cheerups Discovers a Trap¬ 
door . 97 

XVI Mrs. Spider Gets Advice . 103 

XVII Jerry Jerboa^s Joke .... 109 

XVIII The Crusty Crocodile ... 115 

XIX Brighteyes Makes a Mistake 123 
XX Mr. Hoopoe^s Horn .... 129 

XXI A Rainy Day in the Jungle 135 


XXII The Odd Okapi. 143 

XXIII What^s in a Name? .... 149 


XXIV The Great-Grandmother of 

ALL THE Tabbies .... 157 





ILLUSTRATIONS 


an animal!’’ cried Cheerups 
out loud. Frontispiece 

That’s a good fellow! Now we 
can talk”. 22 

When he saw only Mr. Lion’s two 
shiny eyes, like balls of fire com¬ 
ing toward him, he was most 
astonished. 43 

^^Now, Father, don’t be cross,” said 
Mrs. Ostrich. 60 

Don’t be alarmed!” called a merry 
voice from the peak of the small 
palm-leaf roof. 75 

Would n’t you take me for a bird, 

Mr. Cheerups?”.110 

^^Look, look,” whispered Bright- 
eyes, right over there; don’t 
you see?”.123 

^^Make yourself quite at home,” 
greeted a small jolly voice. . . 


145 










IN THE JUNGLE WITH 
CHEERUPS AND THE 
QUIXIES 


FIRST STORY 

THE PATH 

TO CHEERUPS’ DOOR 


ow just look at that path, 
Brighteyes,’’ called Cheerups to 
a little brown Quixie who was 


N 


peeping out of a bush near by. 

“You could n^t really call it a path, 
could you, sir? said Brighteyes. “Hardly 
a blade of grass is worn off/^ 

“No, that’s just the trouble, Bright¬ 
eyes; there’s no one to wear it off,” re¬ 
plied Cheerups. “Nobody conies to see 
us. Maybe they can’t find the way. It 


2 THE PATH TO CHEERUPS’ DOOR 

must be that, for I^m sure they would 
like us if they could get here.” 

^'111 go once more and look/^ cried 
Brighteyes. climb the very tallest 

tree on the tipmost top of the mountain 
and look as far as I can to see if any one 
is coming/’ and he jumped aboard a 
passing breeze and flew away through 
the air. 

There sat Cheerups in the doorway of 
his little house. It was only a hole in the 
side of an old hollow stump, but this 
jolly little fairy liked his home and was 
so happy that it would have made you 
laugh just to look at him. 

He was about three inches tall, with 
a round rosy face, little twinkly eyes 
and a mouth which reached way back 
to his ears when he smiled. On the top 
of his head was a tuft of stiff hair like a 


THE PATH TO CHEERUPS’ DOOR 3 

paintbrush, which nodded and nodded 
when Cheerups was pleased, and that 
was almost all the time. His chubby 
little body was clothed in a jacket and 
knee breeches of green; and his shoes 
were bright, bright red, so you could n’t 
tell them from the wintergreen and 
partridge berries on the ground, when he 
walked about on the side of the moun¬ 
tain. 

But even if the rest of the world had n’t 
come to Cheerups, he had friends. Any 
one so jolly and kind could n’t help it. 
There were four little Quixies who were 
his faithful companions, and they were 
called Brighteyes, Quickear, Softfoot and 
Sniffsniff. 

These Quixies lived up in the Great 
Pine Tree which waved its whispering 
branches over Cheerups’ hollow stump, 


4 THE PATH TO CHEERUPS’ DOOR 

and they were so much alike that you 
could n’t tell them apart unless you 
knew them very well. They were as 
slender and brown as Cheerups was 
plump and green, and being so slender 
and brown, they looked like brothers to 
the pine needles which fall from the 
great pine trees and feel so soft under 
your feet in the woods. 

Brighteyes could see very well indeed. 
His eyesight was so wonderful that he 
could almost see around a corner. Quick- 
ear said that he could hear the grass 
grow. Softfoot stepped so lightly that 
even Quickear could n’t hear him, and 
Sniffsniff could smell a violet a mile 
away. 

Of course, with such good friends near 
him, Cheerups could n’t be very sad 
about the lack of visitors. It was really 


THE PATH TO CHEERUPS’ DOOR 5 

because he was so glad that fine morn¬ 
ing that he wanted to share his good 
spirits with every one. Cheerups was 
so happy that he wished he could 
help all the people in the world who 
did n^t feel the same way; he felt just 
as you feel when Santa Claus has been 
very generous with you on Christmas 
Day and you wish the little poor 
children could have some of your good 
things. 

^^Yes, I^m sure they would like us if 
they could only get here/^ murmured 
Cheerups to himself. would so love 
to broaden my acquaintance. They say 
travel does it. ThaCs it, well travel! 
Oh, Brighteyes, Quickear, Softfoot, Sniff- 
sniff, I have an idea!’’ 

^^Yes, sir, here I am, sir; I couldn’t 
see any one from the top of the 


6 THE PATH TO CHEERUPS’ DOOR 

mountain coming this way, sir,’' cried 
Brighteyes, as he fluttered to the 
ground. 

“Never mind that now,” shouted 
Cheerups excitedly. “I have a wonder¬ 
ful idea. We’ll go to them!” 

“To them?” piped Quickear. 

“To whom?” chirped Softfoot. 

“To where?” sputtered Sniffsniff. 

For they had all dropped down from 
the Great Pine Tree at Cheerups’ first 
call. 

“We are going to travel,” chuckled 
Cheerups. “Is n’t it exciting?” 

“But please, sir, when do we start?” 
chimed the Quixies in chorus. 

“We begin here and we start now,” 
cried Cheerups gleefully. “All aboard 
for Somewhere,” and he hopped on a 
passing leaf and rose into the air. The 


THE PATH TO CHEERUPS’ DOOR 7 


four little Quixies were most too aston¬ 
ished to move but they did n^t want to 
be left behind, so each grabbed a bit of 
thistledown and followed Cheerups on 
his voyage of discovery. 


1 



SECOND STORY 


JUMPING INTO THE 
JUNGLE 

T hrough the air flew Cheerups 
and Brighteyes and Quickear and 
Softfoot and Sniffsniff, so fast 
that you could hardly see them. The 
wind was very chilly and the clouds 
looked like great white pillows ready to 
fall on them any minute. Quixie Bright¬ 
eyes wanted to stop for a pillow fight, 
but Cheerups would nT hear to it. 

At night they bumped into the corner 
of a star and were almost hung up on 
a horn of the new moon. They were 
caught in a swirling whirl of north wind 


10 JUMPING INTO THE JUNGLE 


and felt very cold, but when Big Bright 
Mr. Sun popped up over the rim of the 
world and smiled at them, the five little 
travelers began to feel cheerful again. 
Then suddenly the air grew warm and 
kindly, and before they knew it they 
had dropped plump! right down among 
slender palm trees, ferns as tall as a 
house and wonderful pink and purple 
flowers. 

^^This must be Africa,’’ cried Cheerups, 
as he stretched his legs and arms and 
looked about him. Jumped right into 
the Jungle, I should say. Great, is n’t 
it?” And he beamed upon the bewil¬ 
dered little Quixies with his broadest 
smile. '^But what is that strange crying 
sound, like some one feeling very sad? 
Do you hear it, Quickear? Hurry, Soft- 
foot, and find out where it comes from! 


JUMPING INTO THE JUNGLE 11 


And you, Brighteyes, go too and look 
about! Dear me, dear me! Perhaps we 
are going to be useful right away.’’ And 
Cheerups did n’t know whether to nod 
his tuft of hair or not, he was having such 
a hard time between being glad and 
sorry. 

Then all at once out of the Thick 
Bushes and the Twisty Vines came the 
funniest sight Cheerups had ever set 
eyes on. Walking toward him were 
Brighteyes and Quickear and between 
them trudged a great shaggy animal, up 
to whose finger tips they were vainly 
trying to reach. Behind frisked Softfoot 
and Sniffsniff, choking with laughter. 
They had simply forgotten all about 
their manners. 

But was this strange looking creature 
really an animal? It walked on two legs, 


12 JUMPING INTO THE JUNGLE 


held itself nearly erect and looked so 
astonishingly like a man that Cheerups 
was very much puzzled. 

Please, sir,” said Quickear, ^^we found 
this — this gentleman feeling very sad, 
and we brought him to you because we 
thought you could help him.” 

That’s what we have come^ all the 
way from America for,” said Cheerups, 
smiling and nodding his topknot. ^^We 
have come all the way from the Great 
Mountain where we live just to help 
people, and I’m delighted to meet 
you.” 

^^Churly Gorilla is my name,” barked 
the big clumsy creature, hanging his 
head gloomily. “I am the largest and 
strongest of all the monkey family. I 
am almost six feet tall, as you see, and 
very fierce besides. I assure you there 


JUMPING INTO THE JUNGLE 13 


Is scarcely anything in the Jungle of 
which I am afraid, except — except rain, 
sir/’ 

^^Why, what a funny thing to be 
afraid of, Churly Gorilla,” cried Cheerups. 
^^The raindrops are so gentle that they 
could n’t do any one harm. In this hot 
climate they ought to be very refreshing. 
I, for one, would welcome a shower this 
minute. I am not used to heat, for it is 
very cool at home on the Great Moun¬ 
tain. If you’ll excuse me, I believe I’U 
take off my coat.” 

^^But,” grumbled Churly, ^^you don’t 
understand how it is, Mr. —” 

“ Cheerups; at your service, sir. Cheer¬ 
ups is my name and these are my four 
good friends and traveling companions, 
— Brighteyes, Quickear, Softfoot and 
Sniffsniff. They are broadening their 


14 JUMPING INTO THE JUNGLE 


acquaintance too/’ replied Cheerups. 
^'Now that we are so nicely introduced, 
what were you saying, Mr. Gorilla?” 

was saying that you really don’t 
know anything about my troubles, sir. 
Excuse me for contradicting you. My 
temper is never very good, but to-day I 
am most dreadfully upset. You see, 
when it rains in the Jungle it rains very 
hard, and though it is only a shower 
which does n’t last long, the water comes 
down like a solid sheet. Then my thick 
coat gets wet way through to the skin, 
and I am very uncomfortable. Please, 
Mr. Cheerups, could you tell me some 
way to keep dry?” 

^^Well, well, well,” mused Cheerups, 
'Hhat’s different. Now let me see. If 
you have time to wait, I should like to 
think about that. I have it!” cned 


JUMPING INTO THE JUNGLE 15 

Cheerups the next minute, and he looked 
so happy and his round merry eyes 
twinkled so kindly that Churly Gorilla 
grew more hopeful. ^'Now, Brighteyes, 
just look at the hair on Mr. Gorilla^s arms 
and tell me if there is anything unusual 
about the way it grows.” 

^^Why, in the first place, sir, it is 
very thick and long, and in the second 
place it grows downward from the shoul¬ 
der to the elbow and upward from .the 
wrist to the elbow,” said Quixie Bright¬ 
eyes. 

^^Good,” cried Cheerups, nodding his 
topknot madly. ^^Your troubles are 
over, Mr. Gorilla, and lucky you are to 
get out of them so easily. The next 
time it rains, just cover your head and 
shoulders with your arms, and the water 
will roll off them as it would from a 


16 JUMPING INTO THE JUNGLE 


thatched roof, all on account of the way 
the hair grows. Then you will find your¬ 
self quite dry. 

A red silk umbrella you^d probably choose 

But your arms are much better, for those 
you can’t lose.” 

Goody, goody, goody,’’ cried Churly 
Gorilla, dancing up and down and bark¬ 
ing so loud that Brighteyes and Quickear 
and Softfoot and Sniffsniff were fright¬ 
ened out of their wits and went hurrying 
and scurrying into the tall Jungle grasses 
to get out of the way. 

^^Dear kind Mr. Cheerups, you have 
taken such a load from my mind! Now 
I know I shall never be wet again and I 
can hardly wait to try my new umbrella,” 
chattered Churly. am going right off 
to tell the other Jungle folks about 
you,” and away he trotted into the dusk, 


JUMPING INTO THE JUNGLE 17 


chuckling softly to himself and feeling 
very happy over his good fortune. 

The thick, velvety curtain of darkness 
fell suddenly, as it does in the Tropics, 
and Cheerups’ first day in the Jungle was 
over. 














THIRD STORY 


GRAY EARS THE 
ELEPHANT COMES TO 

CALL 



^HE next morning Cheerups opened 
his round twinkly eyes sooner 
than usual. 

Folks have to be up bright and early 
to get ahead of me” thought he. 
feel just as if something were going to 
happen to-day.’’ 

He was really too excited to sleep. All 
that lovely Jungle was so much more 
wonderful than any dream he had ever 
dreamed that he opened his eyes very 
wide to make sure of staying awake. 



20 GRAY EARS COMES TO CALL 


Above Cheerups’ head the palm trees 
waved their giant leaves in the breeze 
like so many palm-leaf fans. Big Bright 
Mr. Sun, as he peeped over the tops of the 
Little Hills, made diamonds of the dew- 
drops and turned the flowers into flame. 

“One of those flowers would make 
a whole suit for me,^’ thought Cheerups. 
“If I could only And a tailor, I would 
exchange my green coat for a purple 
one. But what in the world is that 
rumbling noise? I believe we are going 
to have a shower. Quickear, do you hear 
thunder? 

“I certainly hear something very loud 
and alarming, sir,^’ cried Quickear, jump¬ 
ing up from the comfortable cobweb 
where he was sitting. “It doesn’t 
sound a bit like the thunder we hear on 
the Great Mountain at home, though. 


GRAY EARS COMES TO CALL 21 


It ’s so rumbly-rolly, and it’s coming 
nearer all the time.” 

“Bless me, what’s that?” shouted 
Cheerups, as a great gray monster broke 
through the underbrush and stood still 
a minute, as if dazed. Fully ten feet tall 
was this fellow, with the biggest ears 
and the longest nose and the most sur¬ 
prising teeth which stretched way, way 
out in front of him. 

“How do you do, sir,” said Cheerups 
bravely, but his knees shook a little. 
“What can I do for you this morning?” 

“Eh, what was that? Did I hear 
something?” trumpeted this strange 
visitor. “Surely I heard a sound, but 
I can’t see a single thing. Do they make 
voices without bodies nowadays? Come 
out here like a gentleman and talk, who¬ 
ever you are!” 


22 GRAY EARS COMES TO CALL 


dear sir/^ said Cheerups, who was 
just a little angry at being spoken to so 
rudely, ^^will you please be kind enough 
to look on the ground right in front of 
your remarkable long nose? I’m Cheer- 
ups, and I have come all the way from 
the Great Mountain to broaden my 
acquaintance.” 

^^Oh, there you are, to be sure, Mr. 
Cheerups. I am sorry I spoke the way I 
did. My cousin, Husky Tusky, in India 
is so polite that he would be dread¬ 
fully ashamed of me. I have been look¬ 
ing everywhere for you. Churly Gorilla 
came home so set up about the new um¬ 
brella which you loaned him — I mean ex¬ 
plained to him how to use — that I have 
come for a bit of advice too. Hop on to 
my trunk and run up nearer my ear, 
that’s a good fellow! Now we can talk. 



^That’s a good fellow ! Now we ean talk.” Page 22 










GRAY EARS COMES TO CALL 23 

I am Gray Ears the African Elephant, 
and my reputation for gentleness is not 
very good, I fear; it’s nothing like my 
cousin’s from India, that I just spoke of. 
I am the largest elephant in the world 
and the wildest, but I can appreciate a 
good turn just the same. You see, I have 
come about my teeth. No, not these long 
tusks. They do look impressive, don’t 
they? They are very good to defend my¬ 
self with and for rooting up trees when I 
want the leaves to eat, but they are also 
good for biUiard balls and that gets me 
into trouble with the hunters. I cer¬ 
tainly don’t approve of billiard balls. 
But what was I saying? Oh, yes, about 
teeth. I had four fine ones, two on each 
jaw, and they ground up leaves and twigs 
splendidly, but three of them have worn 
off and dropped out. What can I do?” 


24 GRAY EARS COMES TO CALL 

^^Why, that^s very easy, Gray Ears; 
don^t worry,” shouted Cheerups gaily. 
'^Mother Nature has arranged so that 
when one of your teeth drops out, an¬ 
other one will come forward from the 
back of your jaw to take its place. Yes, 
sir, that tooth will march right up and 
report for duty. Maybe it sounds queer 
to you, but it^s true. Go home now and 
be patient, and before you realize it, you 
will have all the teeth you need,” and 
Cheerups ran quickly down Gray Ears^ 
long trunk and jumped to the ground 
with a merry chuckle. 

Gray Ears stood there a minute, swing¬ 
ing his body from side to side and curl¬ 
ing his trunk this way and that. He felt 
a little doubtful. What he had heard 
seemed too strange and too good to 
believe. Then he shook his big gray 


GRAY EARS COMES TO CALL 25 


sides and flapped his big gray ears and 
said: 

Thank you ever so much for your 
kindness, Mr. Cheerups. IT be going 
now, but Ifll come back later to let you 
know about those teeth.Then Gray 
Ears the Elephant ambled and shambled 
slowly away through the trees. 






FOURTH STORY 


LIZZIE LIZARD’S LOSS 

‘ ‘ >^"^ECK — geek — geck-o, Geek — 

m "ir — geek-o/’ eame a plain- 
tive little sound from right un¬ 
der Cheerups’ toes. ^^I^d like to speak to 
you, if you please,’’ eontinued the small 
voiee. 

Cheerups was sitting on the edge of a 
toadstool, merrily swinging his feet and 
wondering what kind of visitor he would 
have next, when this tiny sound fell on 
his ears. He looked down and there on 
the ground was what seemed to be a 
small green lizard. It looked like a lizard 
and yet it did n’t, for lizards have tails 


28 LIZZIE LIZARD’S LOSS 

and this one had n’t a speck of a sign of 
a tail. 

^^No; of course you don’t know me,” 
cried this little creature. am Lizzie 
Lizard and they call me a Gecko because 
that is what I say when I sing. But no¬ 
body would recognize me now, I am so 
changed. It serves me right, I suppose, 
for ever leaving my good home on the 
ceiling. Sometimes, though, one does 
long for a little adventure, so this morn¬ 
ing I went out of doors and got my tail 
snapped off for my pains. I was having 
such a nice glide along the garden path 
when all of a sudden Mr. Secretary Bird 
swooped down and made his breakfast 
from my beautiful green tail.” 

That’s just a shame, Lizzie,” said 
Cheerups, for he had a very tender heart. 

am most dreadfully sorry. Tell me 


LIZZIE LIZARD’S LOSS 29 

something about yourself. Where do you 
live? ” 

^^We Geckos live in the homes of men, 
in hot climates all over the world, and 
they like us and never do us any harm 
because we are so useful,^^ replied Lizzie. 
^^Do you see these fat swollen-looking 
toes of mine? They are little suckers 
which make me able to climb up walls 
or windows and even to stick to ceilings. 
That is where I love to stay and catch 
flies for a living. Two or three lizards 
will keep a house entirely free from in¬ 
sects. But, oh dear, what do I care about 
my useful feet if I have nT any beautiful 
tail? I was so proud of it! Now I might 
as well be going,^^ sobbed Lizzie mourn¬ 
fully. just came to you for a bit of 
sympathy. I am sure no one can help 


30 


LIZZIE LIZARD’S LOSS 


^^Now wait a minute, Lizzie dear; 

don’t be downhearted! 

^ Open your ears and shut your eyes 

And I’ll tell you something to make you wise,”’ 

sang Cheerups merrily. 

Lizzie wiped her eyes on a blade of 
grass, shut them promptly and listened 
with all her might. 

you will be patient and cheerful, 
forget all about your troubles and go on 
doing your duty at home as usual, all 
at once you will find that a beautiful 
new tail has grown in place of the old 
one. Mother Nature just whispered 
that into my ear,” chirped Cheerups, 
“and so I know it’s true, 

‘‘Don’t grieve 
But just believe.” 

Lizzie beamed all over with gratitude. 

“I will begin to forget my troubles 


LIZZIE LIZARD’S LOSS 


31 


right away, and I’ll do my duty as soon 
as I get home. Good-by and thank you 
a whole heartful,cried she, with a little 
wiggle of joy, as she slipped off through 
the tall Jungle grasses. 



V • ' 


■ ^ 

< *'• 

't*'! 

> 

•s 




/ 











FIFTH STORY 


HONEY RATEL’S SWEET 

TOOTH 

“Y believe there is a traveling cir- 

I cus coming, Boys,” cried Cheerups 
one warm lazy afternoon. ^^Here 
are the acrobats, as sure as I live! Look, 
Brighteyes; don^t you see them?” 

^^Oh, yes, sir,” piped Brighteyes; ^^and 
are n’t they funny? If they did n’t 
tumble about so, I’d say they were old 
ladies wearing gray waists and black 
skirts.” 

^^That is an odd costume for acrobats, 
Brighteyes,” replied Cheerups thought¬ 
fully. Maybe we are mistaken. Let’s 


34 HONEY RATEL’S SWEET TOOTH 

wait until they come closer and then 
greet them nicely. Now try not to giggle, 
Sniff sniff! It’s always wisest to be polite, 
and politeness is only kindness, after 
all.” 

Just at that time two small gray and 
black animals trotted up in single file, 
stopped right in front of Cheerups and 
turned head over heels one after the 
other. Then they picked themselves up 
and said cooUy, as if nothing unusual 
had happened, ^^Good afternoon, Mr. 
Cheerups; we rolled over to see you for 
a few minutes and inquire after your 
health.” 

^^Now that was nice of you, to be 
sure,” replied Cheerups. “I am quite 
well, thank you; and you are too, I 
should judge, from the exercise you have 
been taking to-day.” 


HONEY RATEL’S SWEET TOOTH 35 

^^Oh, yes; Mrs. Ratel and I are feeling 
splendidly,” said one of the little black 
and gray visitors. “We did enjoy our 
tumble through the Jungle. It would 
have been quite perfect if it had n^t been 
for one thing which upset Mrs. Ratel a 
little. I won’t go so far as to say it 
spoiled our day, but it was upsetting.” 

“So these are the Ratels I have heard 
about,” thought Cheerups to himself. 
“What was it which bothered you on 
your way over, Mr. Ratel? Do please 
tell us,” then said he cordially. “If it’s 
any kind of an adventure, we are just 
ready, are n’t we, Quixie Boys? These 
are my friends, — Brighteyes, Quickear, 
Softfoot and Sniffsniff. It has been a 
dull day in the Jungle and we were long¬ 
ing for something to happen.” 

“Well, you see, sir, Mrs. Ratel is very 


36 HONEY RATEL’S SWEET TOOTH 


fond of the sweets which those busy 
creatures called bees have a way of stor¬ 
ing up in their nests. Is n^t that true, 
Honey? I call her Honey just as a joke, 
sir. 

^^Yes, I must admit my failing,” mur¬ 
mured Mrs. Ratel shyly. ^^But you 
know that honey is very good, and you 
like it too.” 

“So I do, so I do, my dear,” said Mr. 
Ratel good-naturedly. “Well, as we 
were coming along, Mrs. Ratel spied a 
bees’ nest and she could hardly get by, 
she did want that honey so much; but 
it was a very large nest and I was afraid 
to have her tear it open. She was sure 
to be stung and have a swollen nose, and 
really, sir, a swollen nose when you are 
going to make a first call is n’t the thing 
at all. I’m sure you will agree with 


HONEY RATEL’S SWEET TOOTH 37 

that. A swollen nose, indeedsplut¬ 
tered Mr. Ratel indignantly. ^^So I per¬ 
suaded her not to touch the bees’ nest.” 

'^You just said that I mustn’t,” re¬ 
plied Honey in a small voice, ^^if that’s 
what you call persuading.” 

“So here we are, sir,” cried Mr. Ratel, 
paying no attention to what Honey had 
said. “But I know that neither of us will 
be able to resist that nest if we take the 
same way home. You see what a problem 

•j- • • 

it IS, sir. 

“But I don’t know why you should 
be afraid of bees,” said Cheerups. “You 
belong to the Badger family, don’t you?” 

“Oh, yes,” chimed the two Ratels in 
chorus. “We are Badgers and proud of 
it. There are just two branches of Ratels; 
one lives in India and the other here in 
Africa.” 


38 HONEY RAXEL’S SWEET TOOTH 


I was saying, then,^’ resumed 
Cheerups, ^^you don^t need to be afraid 
of those bees. There is nT a bee in the 
world that could sting through three 
such heavy coats as you have on. First 
comes your thick coat of fur, then one of 
loose skin and then a layer of fat. You 
are really wearing your overcoat, rain 
coat and sweater all at once.’’ 

^^Oh, isn’t that wonderful, Honey?” 
beamed Mr. Ratel. Thank you very 

much, Mr. Cheerups, for telling us about 
our useful coats. Now we won’t have to 
avoid that nest.” 

Had n’t we better be going, my 
dear?” gurgled Mrs. Ratel gleefully. 

can hardly wait to be off,” and she 
squirmed with delight at the thought of 
the sweets that were awaiting her on the 
way home. 


HONEY RATEL’S SWEET TOOTH 39 


Good-by, Mr. Cheerups,^^ called Mr. 
Ratel. ^^WeTl bring you some honey 
one of these days,’’ and with a parting 
somersault the two little visitors started 
down the Winding Way. 

Remember not to hurt the bees, and 
don’t take all the honey,” called Cheerups 
after them. 

We’ll try not to,” came two faint 
voices through the warm afternoon air. 


i 



SIXTH STOKY 


MR. LION FINDS HIMSELF 
IN A TIGHT PLACE 


Y dear,” growled Mr. Lion 
softly to Mrs. Lion, one warm 
evening just before dark, “I 



< i 


have something on my mind. I am 
worried.” 

“IVe noticed that you were n^t quite 
yourself lately,” purred Mrs. Lion kindly, 
^^and if it’s a problem you can’t solve, 
why don’t you go to this famous Cheer- 
ups that Gray Ears the Elephant is so 
excited about?” 

^^Now, Mother Lion, have you been 
talking to Gray Ears?” said Mr. Lion 



42 MR. LION IN A TIGHT PLACE 

with his most severe frown. Did n’t 
I tell you never to do that? He’s about 
the only animal in the Jungle that we 
have reason to fear and then you run 
right into danger. I am really vexed 
with you.” 

Goodness, no, Father, I’m not so 
foolish as that,” replied Mrs. Lion. 
was safely hidden in the tall grasses and 
overheard what Gray Ears was saying to 
Lizzie Lizard. He talks so loud that 
nobody can help hearing, and we have 
very good ears in the Lion family, you 
know. They talked a long time about 
this Cheerups person, and both agreed 
that he had told them some wonderful 
things. Maybe he could help you too.” 

^Ht’s worth trying, my dear,” said 
Mr. Lion. ^^Your advice is often good. 
I’ll set out now to find this wise one.” 



W hen he saw only Mr. Lion’s two shiny eyes, like 
balls of fire coming toward him, he was 
most astonished. Page 43. 









iv' '»-:■ ■=';.;, ■?5 

A.? .;.‘Mv- ..*11 






MR. LION IN A TIGHT PLAGE 43 


“Good luck/’ called Mother Lion, as 
she turned back to the cave and gave 
her sleepy little babies, Tawny and Fuzzy, 
a pat with her big soft paw. 

Down the Winding Way went Mr. 
Lion, along by the Yellow River and 
through the Twisty Vines, until he came 
to the little clear place where Cheerups 
lived. Mr. Lion’s eyes are made so that 
he can see as well at night as in the day¬ 
time, and he discovered the little palm- 
leaf house which the Quixies had built 
for Cheerups, even though it had grown 
quite dark and the first Twinkly Star 
was out. 

But Cheerups could n’t see so clearly 
as that, and Brighteyes was sound asleep 
on his spider web. So when he saw only 
Mr. Lion’s two shiny eyes, like balls of 
fire coming toward him, he was most 


44 MR. LION IN A TIGHT PLACE 

astonished. ^^Had the moon dropped 
out of the sky and broken in two from 
the fall?^’ thought he. “Maybe there 
was going to be a garden party in the 
Jungle and the lanterns were just being 
lighted. Or could it be possible that the 
animals had automobiles and these two 
bright spots were headlights? 

“Goodness, but they are getting close! 
I guess I^d better play policeman and 
stop the traffic. That will be fun,” said 
Cheerups to himself. “ Stop! ” he shouted 
as loud as he could. “You are running 
into some one! 

“And begging your pardon, sir, that^s 
just what I want to do,” came a low 
rumbly purr. “I donT mean exactly 
run into you, of course,” the voice went 
on, for Mr. Lion is the politest animal 
in the world, “but just up to your front 


MR. LION IN A TIGHT PLACE 45 


door, so to speak. Are you by any chance 
a very famous and kind person named 
Cheerups?^^ 

^^That is what I am called/’ replied 
Cheerups, who was rather bewildered by 
this voice out of the dark. “But I should 
like very much to know who is my 
visitor. Oh, Brighteyes, did you happen 
to bring the Magic Spectacles with you? 
There, that’s better,” sighed Cheerups, 
as he put on the spectacles which sleepy 
Brighteyes took from his pocket. They 
made him look so wise that Mr. Lion’s 
confidence grew. 

“Now I see that it’s Mr. Lion with 
whom I have the honor to speak. I have 
always wanted to meet His Majesty 
the King of the Beasts. If I were n’t too 
small, I should like to shake your paw, 
sir. Being small is a great drawback. 


46 MR. LION IN A TIGHT PLAGE 


Mr. Lion, unless you are in a tight place,’’ 
said Cheerups. 

^^And speaking of tight places,” cried 
Mr. Lion, ^^now that you have started 
the subject, that’s the very thing I came 
to see you about.” 


SEVENTH STORY 


MR. LION’S WHISKERS 


OODNESS gracious!’^ cried Cheer- 
ups, with a chuckle. “Just 
think of little me being able 


G 


to do something for the King of the 
Beasts. I have always wanted to be 
helpful, but I never dreamed of that. 
What did you say was troubling you. 
Your Highness?” 

“Oh, please don^t be formal, Mr. 
Cheerups,” said the Lion, with a gra¬ 
cious wave of his tail. “Plain Mr. Lion 
is nicer between friends. But to get 
back to important things, I have been 
most dreadfully worried lately. You 


48 


MR. LION’S WHISKERS 


may think that because I am strong and 
fierce, there is nothing in the whole 
Jungle of which I am afraid; but, dear 
me, what a mistaken notion that is! 
Gray Ears the Elephant is often more 
than a match for me; sometimes Gems- 
bok the Antelope is able to thrust his 
long, strong horns through my body; 
but worse still is the hunter called Man, 
who, for such a puny creature, seems 
hardest of all to escape/^ 

^^But you have your wonderful eyes 
which see so well in the dark, and the 
soft fleshy cushions under your paws 
which make you able to walk very 
quietly. Why, I don’t believe my Quixie 
Quickear could hear you in those padded 
slippers. And your coat is just the color 
of the desert sand, so you are very hard 
to see in the daylight. Really, Mr. 


MR. LION’S WHISKERS 


49 


Lion/’ said Cheerups, with a hint of re¬ 
proof in his voice, ^^it seems to me that 
you have a great deal to protect you.” 

That’s a fact, now that you remind 
me of it; I have lots to be thankful for,” 
said Mr. Lion, with such a hearty roar 
of delight that Cheerups almost fell out 
of his house in surprise. ^^But there’s 
Mrs. Lion and Tawny and Fuzzy to be 
thought of. Who would bring them 
their dinner and their tea if anything 
should happen to me? I always get the 
food for them myself; in fact, I don’t 
think much of fathers who don’t provide 
for their families. Selfish, I say! So, 
you see, I need just one thing more to 
protect me. Sometimes when I walk 
through a path in the Jungle, it grows so 
narrow that I brush against leaves and 
twigs on each side, and that makes a 


50 


MR. LION’S WHISKERS 


rustling sound or a crackling noise which 
tells my enemies that I am coming. 
Neither my keen eyes nor my soft cush¬ 
ioned feet do any good then. Could you 
suggest some way out of a tight place 
like that?’’ 

^^To be sure, my friend, to be sure!” 
cried Cheerups good-naturedly. “It’s a 
pleasure to help such a polite husband 
and kind father. Now let me see, — 
eyes, paws, coat; why, you have for¬ 
gotten your whiskers!” 

“They are good-looking, are n’t they?” 
said Mr. Lion proudly, trying to see him¬ 
self in a dewdrop and failing. 

“Now, now, sir,” laughed Cheerups, 
“you don’t think your whiskers were 
given you just for looks, do you? Why, 
everything is useful in some way, if you 
only know it. The next time you are 



MR. LION’S WHISKERS 


51 


going through a trail in the Jungle, ex¬ 
tend your whiskers straight out on both 
sides, and when the path grows narrower 
you will know it as quick as a wink. 
Your whiskers stretched out are exactly 
as wide as your body, and in each one is 
a tiny nerve, which when touched, tele¬ 
graphs the message to your brain. So 
when you find out in this manner that 
the path is too narrow, you can turn 
back and take a different way.’’ 

“Oh, Mr. Cheerups, that’s the most 
astonishing thing I ever heard. I hope 
I can repay your kindness sometime. 
Now I’ll go right home and tell Mrs. 
Lion, so she won’t worry any more. I 
just can’t wait to use my whiskers. 
Good night,” and Mr. Lion was gone 
through the Jungle. 



EIGHTH STORY 


POLLY PARROT’S 
DILEMMA 


< < OOD morning, good morning, 

■ good morning! ’ ^ screamed Polly 

Parrot at the top of her voice. 
^^It’s time to get up; it^s time to get 
up!’’ 

^^Oh, dear!” yawned Cheerups sleepily, 
as he stretched himself and opened one 
eye. ^^What was that noise? I didn’t 
tell the Quixies to call me. Oh, here’s a 
visitor already. How do you do, Polly 
Parrot! I have seen some of your cousins 
in the United States and so I recognized 
you right away. I hope you ’ll excuse me 


54 POLLY PARROT’S DILEMMA 


for not being dressed. Fll just slip on 
this bathrobe/^ and Cheerups wrapped 
a large fern snugly about him. 

^^Of course I’ll excuse you/’ cried 
Polly, flapping her gray wings and snap¬ 
ping her beak, ^^but why people are such 
lazybones is more than I can tell. And 
that, by the way, is what I have come to 
see you about, — lazybones and how to 
cure them, I mean. But as you are one 
yourself, I doubt if you can tell me. 
You would n’t go to the bat to find out 
how to see, now, would you?” 

^^Do calm down, Polly, and tell me 
what is the matter,” said Cheerups in a 
gentle voice. ^^At least you can give me 
the chance to help you.” 

^^Well,” began Polly more pleasantly, 
“Mr. Parrot and I build our nest — no, 
we don’t either; we don’t really build a 


POLLY PARROT’S DILEMMA 55 

nest at all, we just find some nice cosy 
hole in the trunk of a tree and there I 
lay my eggs. Then the trouble begins! 
For I do get so tired sitting on those eggs 
day and night, and Mr. Parrot never 
offers to help me out. It really seems to 
me that he ought to do his share.” 

^^Have you asked him nicely to do so, 
Polly?” inquired Cheerups. 

^^Well, IVe scolded a lot about it,” 
replied Polly sheepishly. 

“That wonT do,” said Cheerups, with 
as nearly a severe look as his merry little 
eyes would hold. “That wonT do at all. 
When you go home, just ask Mr. Parrot 
as pleasantly as you can if he wonT sit 
on the eggs part of the time. Mention 
that 'turn about is fair play,’ and say 
that you will fly off and find a juicy 
worm or a bit of fruit for his supper 


56 POLLY PARROT’S DILEMMA 


while he is sitting on the nest. And, mind 
you, here’s another good idea which 
may come in handy sometime. If you 
ever think that danger is coming too near 
your precious eggs, call the rest of the 
Parrot flock to come and help you drive 
off the enemy. Mother Nature tells me 
that they will gladly do it. 

^^But the very best way, as you will find. 

To get your wish, is just be kind.” 

Poor Polly was so ashamed of herself 
that she hung her head for a minute, 
then she screamed delightedly, try 
it, Mr. Cheerups, I ’ll try being kind and 
pleasant; and I won’t forget what you 
say about asking the other Parrots to 
help me, either. Thank you very much. 
Now I must go home, for no telling where 
Father Parrot is and those eggs may be 
getting cold.” 


POLLY PARROT’S DILEMMA 57 


Won’t you stop for a bit of bread¬ 
fruit with us?” called Cheerups. 

^'No, thanks, too much of a hurry,” 
chattered Polly and was gone. 

From that day to this the rule in the 
Parrot family has been share and share 
alike. 



' ’ ■ .-1 

» ■ ‘ -I 

, . I 


} 

I 

% 




c 


I’ 




NINTH STORY 


MRS. OSTRICH GOES TO 
MARKET 


M rs. Ostrich was troubled. Some¬ 
thing was wrong with the chil¬ 
dren. Her fourteen beautiful 
eggs, like ivory globes, had hatched 
into fourteen lively young birds. They 
had eaten gravel for several days after 
they came out of the shell, which all 
ostrich mothers know is the best thing 
for their young stomachs, but after that 
they did nT seem to thrive. Father 
Ostrich had brought them the tender- 
est leaves and twigs, and even some of 
those wonderful watermelons which grow 




60 MRS. OSTRICH GOES TO MARKET 


on the edge of the desert, but nothing 
agreed with them. 

^^What^s to be done, my dear?’^ 
roared Father Ostrich in his loud, im¬ 
portant voice. 

^^Well, I don^t know. Father,^’ said 
Mother Ostrich, “but it does seem to me 
as if I could find something which would 
be good for the children. I don’t believe 
you looked far and wide. I shall go a long 
distance away to-day. I am a faster 
runner than a horse, so it will be easy.” 

“I don’t know how far you’ll go,” 
said Father Ostrich a bit peevishly, for 
he did n’t like Mrs. Ostrich’s criticism, 
“but I’m sure you’ll go wide if you go 
around in circles as usual. And mind, 
don’t get frightened and hide your head 
in the sand!” 

“Now, Father, don’t be cross,” said 



Now, Father, don't l^e cross,” said Mrs. Ostrich 

Page 60. 










’Viv i"' ;i'"; ..' '-‘''M'.W 

•-':t--'.-•^t". ;'-'l^>^ r'^ 

« ■*' - ^ . ■v‘V«S 





MRS. OSTRICH GOES TO MARKET 61 

Mrs. Ostrich. ^^You have the same 
bad habits that I have, you know. 
Goodby, I ^11 be back before dark,’’ and 
she trotted away over the desert, her 
legs moving so fast that her toes seemed 
scarcely to touch the ground. 

“I’ll have (to go toward those trees 
and growing things over there,” thought 
she. “There’s nothing here on the 
desert fit for my babies to eat.” And she 
ran so fast that all at once she found 
herself in the thick, deep Jungle. 

“Now, I wonder,” she said aloud, 
looking up, “if that Breadfruit would be 
to the children’s taste.” 

“It looks good to me,” said a small 
merry voice which seemed to come from 
right under Mrs. Ostrich’s very toes. 
“But of course I don’t know for whom 


you are marketing.” 


62 MRS. OSTRICH GOES TO MARKET 


^^Dear me,” snapped Mrs. Ostrich in 
surprise and alarm, “dear me, who’s 
interfering now? ” 

“It’s only Cheerups, Madam, and I 
thought perhaps I could help you pick 
out your fruit for breakfast, as you 
were a little uncertain,” said the voice. 

“Well, well, this is luck,” cried Mrs. 
Ostrich, looking down at Cheerups from 
her eight feet of height, and winking 
and blinking her great eyes with their 
long lashes. “To think that I should 
run right into you, Mr. Cheerups. Why, 
all the Desert and Jungle Folks are 
talking about you and your wise words 
and your wonderful ways. Here I am 
in a terrible tangle, and you appear right 
in front of me to unravel it. Miraculous, 
I say, simply miraculous!” 

“First please tell me who you are,” 


MRS. OSTRICH GOES TO MARKET 63 


smiled Cheerups, ^^and what is your 
trouble. I surely don’t deserve the fame 
you speak of, but I shall be very glad to 
help you if I can.” 

^^Oh, thank you, Mr. Cheerups; you 
are so kind. You see, I am Mrs. Ostrich 
and I have at home fourteen as handsome 
little Ostrich babies as you could see any 
day in a twenty-mile run.” 

“But I couldn’t run twenty miles,” 
cried Cheerups. 

“Oh, excuse me,” replied Mrs. Ostrich. 
“I forgot that you hadn’t the long¬ 
distance apparatus,” and she looked 
proudly at her tall, strong legs. “Well, 
my babies had their gravel meals for 
two or three days, as was right and 
proper, and then they did n’t seem to 
like the leaves and vegetables which 
Father Ostrich brought them. We just 


64 MRS. OSTRICH GOES TO MARKET 

can’t find anything they will eat. And 
if they don’t eat, they will die. Oh, Mr. 
Cheerups, I’m almost distracted!” 

Don’t be anxious, Mrs. Ostrich, I 
beg of you,” said Cheerups in a tone full 
of kindness. “I have a plan. Just lay 
a few extra eggs outside the nest and feed 
the wee birdlings on them until they are 
old enough to eat other things. And 
when you hatch the next brood, you 
might lay the extra eggs first, so the 
babies’ breakfast will be all ready and 
waiting for them when they come.” 

“That’s a splendid idea,” cried Mother 
Ostrich. “Thank you a thousand times, 
Mr. Cheerups; I’ll do just as you say,” 
and off she ran at top speed toward 
home. Ever since, Mrs. Ostrich has fol¬ 
lowed Cheerups’ advice with success. 


TENTH STORY 


DON DROMEDARY’S 
DISPOSITION 


OT in all the Great Desert is 



there a worse disposition than 


^ Don Dromedary^s. He just can’t 
help snarling and scolding. 

He is the most valuable beast of burden 
in the world, because he can travel across 
the hot dry desert for days without any¬ 
thing to eat or drink. There are no trains 
in the Desert and even horses can’t go very 
far, because there is no water except at 
the small spots called Oases, and they 
are many miles apart. The Dromedary, 
who is a very fast traveler, and his slower 



66 DON DROMEDARY’S DISPOSITION 


cousin, the Camel, are useful in other 
ways also to the Arab who lives in the 
Desert. He drinks their milk, makes 
tents and rugs of their skins and weaves 
clothes of their fine silky hair. 

Oh, yes, Don Dromedary knew he was 
useful, but it did n’t make him happy. 

am going to break loose if I can,” 
said he to himself one warm starry night, 
when the caravan had stopped to rest. 
^H’m going to find that wise Cheerups 
every one is talking about, and ask him 
if he does n’t think mine is a very hard 
lot. I guess I can do it now without 
being noticed; Master’s asleep.” So Don 
Dromedary strained and strained and 
pulled and pulled at his rope, gently but 
with great strength, until up came the 
stake to which he was tied and away he 
trotted into the soft black night. 


DON DROMEDARY’S DISPOSITION 67 

The Jungle was many miles away, and 
Don Dromedary knew it. “But miles 
are nothing to the Ship of the Desert,’’ 
muttered he to himself, as he ran with 
long swinging strides. “I must be al¬ 
most there. I’ve been going every bit 
of ten miles an hour.” And sure enough, 
the shadow of the great Jungle trees 
already rose before him. 

“WeU, here’s for it,” said Don, as he 
plunged down the Winding Way. “I’m 
not so well acquainted here though, as 
out in the open. Maybe I’d better stop 
and get my bearings. Let me see, there’s 
the Tall Palm Tree and the Great Bread¬ 
fruit Tree, but what in the world is 
that?” 

“That’s what I say too,” cried a small 
jolly voice out of the darkness. “I was 
just having my first forty winks, and I’d 


68 DON DROMEDARY’S DISPOSITION 


like to know who comes calling on Cheer- 
ups at this time of night.” 

^^Oh, Mr. Cheerups, is that really 
you?” cried Don Dromedary. have 
broken away from the caravan, asleep 
under the stars, and come many miles to 
see you. For once in my life I am lucky! ” 

^^Once in your life, you say?” mumbled 
Cheerups sleepily. ^^Well, are n^t you 
ashamed, Don Dromedary? You are 
one of the luckiest in all the Great 
Desert.” 

^^But I am not satisfied,” snarled Don, 
with a sneer on his surly curly lips. 
^^I’m not satisfied.” 

What is the trouble?” asked Cheerups 
kindly. He was wide-awake by this time 
and eager to help. 

“Everything is the trouble, sir,” grum¬ 
bled Don. “Nothing is right. In the 


DON DROMEDARY’S DISPOSITION 69 

first place, when I am on a long journey 
across the Desert, I rarely get anything 
to eat. Sometimes my master gives me 
a few dates, but I’m lucky if I find a 
thorn bush to nibble on.” 

“But there’s your splendid fat hump 
from which your body gets its food all 
through the trip,” cried Cheerups. “A 
very handy way of carrying your lunch 
when you are traveling, I should say. 
To be sure, your hump is flat when you 
reach your destination because it has 
all been used, but a few weeks of hearty 
eating fills it up again.” 

“Of course, that is true,” admitted 
Don, “but I seldom have a drink of 
water on the journey.” 

“Now, Don Dromedary, how can you 
complain, with all those deep cells full of 
water in your stomach. You can carry 


70 DON DROMEDARY’S DISPOSITION 


over a gallon, enough to quench your 
thirst for five or six days/^ 

^^You are right about the water, Mr. 
Cheerups,’’ said Don; ^^but how would 
you like to tramp along, day in and day 
out, in soft heavy sand?” 

^^Just look at your feet,” cried Cheer- 
ups, who was beginning to be a little 
impatient with this fussy complainer. 
'^They are made with broad spreading 
cushions so you don^t sink into the 
sand at all. A horse with his small 
hard hoofs would be tired in two hours’ 
travel over the Desert. I should think 
Softfoot had been fitting the magic slip¬ 
pers on you, your feet are so beautifully 
padded.” 

don’t care,” grunted the fretful 
Don. have to stand while terrible 
sand storms rage about me and my mas- 


DON DROMEDARY’S DISPOSITION 71 

ter lies face downward on the ground and 
avoids most of it/’ 

^^Yes, most of it, most of it, sir, but 
not all of it, as you do. If you were n’t 
such a naughty, spoiled boy, Don Drome¬ 
dary, I’d have to laugh,” said Cheerups, 
smiling. ^^You are really too absurd! 
Why, you can close your nostrils to keep 
the sand out, and your long thick eye¬ 
lashes protect your eyes. I’m ashamed 
of you!” 

^^Well, anyway, I’m cross and un¬ 
happy,” snapped the great black Drome¬ 
dary. 

^‘That’s the whole trouble,” cried 
Cheerups gleefully. ''It’s a new dis¬ 
position you need! Your bad temper is 
all that makes you miserable. No one 
can make you kind, good-natured and 
contented but yourself, Don Dromedary. 


72 DON DROMEDARY’S DISPOSITION 


Now go back to the caravan and try to 
be cheerful and look on the best side of 
things. You will find that not only you 
yourself will be happier, but every one 
who knows you.’^ 

Poor Don was really ashamed by this 
time. He knew so well that all Cheerups 
had said was true that he could n^t look 
him in the eye. In a very small voice, 
with his head hanging almost to the 
ground, he said, Really, I wiU try to 
be good, Mr. Cheerups. Thank you.’^ 
Then he turned about and dashed back 
into the Desert. 


ELEVENTH STORY 


THE PROBLEM OF THE 
NERVOUS GNU 

I T was a very trying moment for Mr. 
Gnu. He had just begun to wonder 
what kind of an animal he really 
was. All his friends were quite sure 
which family they belonged to. There 
was Mrs. Ostrich, Raffy Giraffe, Swift 
the Antelope, Springy Gazelle and Zippy 
Zebra, his jolly neighbors on the Great 
Plain. Each knew without a doubt 
where he belonged in the Animal World. 

“But here am I,” grumbled Mr. 
Gnu, “with the head and horns of a 
bull, the mane and tail of a horse and 


74 


THE NERVOUS GNU 


the body and legs of an antelope; just 
a mixture like patchwork. It^s most 
embarrassing.” 

He took a sudden leap into the air, 
alighted on the ground and began to paw 
and wheel about like a frisky horse, 
which is a funny way Gnus have of doing 
when they are excited and disturbed. 

■ Then, kicking up his heels and flourish¬ 
ing his long tail, the Nervous Gnu scam¬ 
pered across the Broad Sunny Plain at 
top speed. 

Soon the Great Trees and Twisty 
Vines of the edge of the Jungle loomed 
before him. Their cool shade looked 
very inviting to Mr. Gnu. 

have nT been in there for a long 
time,” thought he. wonder what^s 
going on in the Jungle these days. The 
same old Lions and Leopards are there, I 



Don’t be alarmed,” ealled a merry voice from the 
peak of the small palm-leaf roof. Page 75. 



















t'x » 


A' .■^'' )t'' 

^ - a(. ->■ A - •»^-' '' Xr'*-V>- - ,-■ 



i- .»■ > ^s' 




■ . • -Z 'i-i-Vji#’ '■^,%«' 






mmssrT :: - i-* 


W- 




THE NERVOUS GNU 


75 


suppose, and they would like a nice 
juicy Something-or-other like me for 
supper. But I can^t help that; IVe just 
got to go in and look around for myself, 
it’s so mysterious and exciting.” 

Now the Nervous Gnu is about the 
most curious animal in the world, so he 
lost no time in trotting down the Winding 
Way into the heart of the Jungle. He 
was timid and suspicious, of course, but 
his curiosity quite got the better of him. 

^^Oh, what’s that?” whinnied he with 
a jump, as he came suddenly into the 
clearing and saw Cheerups’ little house 
standing there. don’t believe it 

means anything good, whatever it is, 
and yet I should like to know.” 

“Don’t be alarmed,” called a merry 
voice from the peak of the small palm- 
leaf roof. “I know it looks queer, but 


76 THE NERVOUS GNU 

I just got up here on top of my house for 
a change and a better view of things. 
I^m Cheerups; is there anything I can 
do for you to-day?^’ 

Why — why — yes, sir, there is,^^ 
stammered the Gnu, remembering all 
of a sudden the knotty question which 
had troubled him that morning. ^^I^d 
like to know what I am. Now there’s 
a poser for you! You see my chums, 
Raffy Giraffe, Mrs. Ostrich, Springy 
Gazelle, Swift the Antelope and Zippy 
Zebra, all know who they are. We are 
very happy and sociable out on the 
Broad Plain, sir, but I am bothered 
about my family tree.” 

“What is your name?” asked Cheer¬ 
ups kindly. 

“They call me the Nervous Gnu, Mr. 
Cheerups, because I am so easily flus- 


THE NERVOUS GNU 


77 


tered. But who would n^t be if he had 
the head and horns of a bull, the mane 
and tail of a horse and the body and legs 
of an antelope, and did n’t know at all 
what he is and who are his relations? 
It’s confusing, I say.” 

“Now don’t be disturbed, Mr. Gnu,” 
said Cheerups, smiling and nodding his 
topknot merrily. “There isn’t a bit of 
doubt in my mind what you are. You 
are an antelope. Don’t you see that 
your body and legs — the greater part 
of you — are like those of the antelope 
family? So there you are! The ques¬ 
tion is settled as neatly as can be.” 

“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that,” 
gasped the Gnu. “It’s funny how you 
don’t think of things, is n’t it? I see 
now that you are perfectly right, Mr. 
Cheerups. That’s really a wonderful idea. 


78 


THE NERVOUS GNU 


How you have relieved my mind! Thank 
you, thank you!’^ 

^^Now you can go back to your happy 
little neighborhood on the Broad Plain 
and know just where you stand. Swift 
the Antelope and Springy Gazelle are 
your cousins, remember! But please do 
be careful about being curious, Mr. Gnu,^^ 
called Cheerups. 

Curiosity carries you far 
And teaches you much, I hear, 

But caution tells you not to stray 
Where danger is lurking near.’^ 

^H’ll try to remember all you have 
told me, Mr. Cheerups,^’ cried the Ner¬ 
vous Gnu, kicking his heels joyfully in 
the air, and with a final switch of his 
tail he made off at top speed in the direc¬ 
tion of his friends on the Broad Plain. 


TWELFTH STORY 


RANNY RHINO HAS THE 

BLUES 


hum!’’ gruntedRanny Rhino, 

I-i as he rolled over in the muddy 

water of the Yellow River and 
turned one tiny shiny eye toward Big 
Bright Mr. Sun who was just going down 
behind the tall Palm Tree. 

suppose I might as well get up 
and look for my supper. It’s a long 
way to the nearest plantation, but that 
sugar cane is well worth it. Maybe I’ll 
find some bamboo too. Nothing is much 
fun, though, when you can’t see well, 
now is it?” he grumbled, as he caught 



80 RANNY RHINO HAS THE BLUES 


sight of Polly Parrot in the tree above 
him. 

“Well, that depends on what you are 
trying to see,^^ cried Polly saucily. “If 
it’s a joke or your duty, then I say it 
all very well to have good eyesight, 
but— 

“Oh, Polly, please do be sensible,” 
wailed Ranny. “I’m serious about this, 
really I am. I go ploughing around with 
these dull little eyes of mine, charging 
at things and generally missing them. 
Even if I don’t get into much trouble 
because I am big and folks are afraid of 
the two fierce horns on my nose, still I 
never feel comfortable because I am so 
in doubt about danger being near.” 

“Big, Ranny Rhino! Why, I should 
think you were. There’s nobody in the 
whole Jungle larger, except Gray Ears 


RANNY RHINO HAS THE BLUES 81 

the Elephant. And what you are grum¬ 
bling about I don^t know, when you are 
so swift that you can outrun a horse. 
Then there ^s your keen scent and your 
two fine horns. Your cousin in India 
has nT but one. YouVe a nose to be 
proud of, I say.’^ 

“Yes, I know all that, Polly, but 
I canT help it; I^m blue,” com¬ 
plained Ranny. “You seem jolly this 
morning; I wish you could make me 
feel so.” 

“Well, I am happy, Ranny Rhino. 
It does nT take good eyesight to find 
that out, does it? And I fil just take you 
to the person who made me so, if you 
would like to go. Maybe he can help 
you too. His name is Cheerups, and he 
came all the way from America to 
broaden his acquaintance. I should 


82 RANNY RHINO HAS THE BLUES 


think he would like you, Ranny; good¬ 
ness knows, you are broad enough/’ 

^^How lovely that is of you, Polly!” 
said Ranny, opening his mouth in a wide 
smile and showing so many teeth that 
Polly gave a little shiver and moved 
away. It did n’t look to her like a good 
place for an accidental faU. 

^^Yes, Cheerups showed me how to 
make Mr. Parrot do his share of sitting 
on our nest. And what do you suppose 
he told me? Why, just to be kind and 
polite. It sounds simple, but it worked. 
So that’s the reason I can be away this 
morning. I don’t have to worry any 
more about my fine eggs getting cold. 
Come on now, Ranny, let’s be off to 
find Cheerups,” chuckled Polly. 

Ranny was so pleased and happy that 
he came right out of the water and 


RANNY RHINO HAS THE BLUES 83 


frisked along by the Yellow River, down 
the Winding Way and through the 
Twisty Vines, with Polly Parrot flying 
overhead, until they came to the little 
clear place in the Jungle where Cheer- 
ups lived. 





THIRTEENTH STORY 


THE MAGIC EAR MUFFS 


ON^T go any farther, Ranny,’’ 
I screamed Polly Parrot, ^^or 
you’ll step on it! Goodness, 


D 


< ( 


Mr. Cheerups, I was so frightened! 
Please excuse me for not saying good 
morning, but my friend Ranny Rhino 
nearly kicked over your house a minute 
ago. He really could n’t help it, though. 
You see, his eyesight is very bad.” 

^H’m glad to see you both,” cried 
Cheerups, looking out of his door and 
waving his hand in greeting. ^Ht’s a 
fine morning, Ranny!” 

^^Yes, it is, sir, thank you, sir,” stam- 


86 


THE MAGIC EAR MUFFS 


mered Ranny, who was a little confused 
by Polly^s screams. ^^It really was n^t 
my fault that I almost crushed your 
house. That^s just what I came to see 
you about.’’ 

^^Well, I’ll admit that it is a bit up¬ 
setting to be nearly stepped on,” said 
Cheerups, smiling, ^^but I am sure you 
did n’t do it on purpose, Ranny.” 

^^Oh, no indeed, sir, realty I didn’t,” 
exclaimed Ranny. am not ill-natured 
if I am not hurt, and I am quite shy, 
though you might not believe it.” 

Something ought to be done for such 
a good boy, it seems to me,” said Cheer¬ 
ups, nodding his topknot merrily. ^^Now 
if your hearing were very sharp, it 
would n’t matter so much about your 
eyesight, would it? Quickear, Quickear! 
Where is that young scamp, I wonder? 


THE MAGIC EAR MUFFS 


87 


Oh, there you are; that^s good! Hurry 
with the Magic Ear Muffsand Quixie 
Quickear struggled up, dragging a pair 
of ear muffs almost as large as himself. 

“Now fit the ear muffs on our friend, 
Mr. Rhino,’^ said Cheerups. 

Quickear looked at Softfoot, who had 
come along to see who the callers were, 
and Softfoot looked at Quickear. How 
to do it, — that was the question. Sud¬ 
denly Softfoot whispered something to 
Quickear and up the tree they both 
scrambled, quick as a flash, pulling the 
great ear muffs after them. Then from 
an overhanging bough they dropped the 
Magic Ear Muffs right down on Ranny 
Rhino’s ears. 

Ranny was startled, most dreadfully 
startled, but he wanted to be polite, be¬ 
cause he knew Cheerups was trying to 


88 


THE MAGIC EAR MUFFS 


help him. So he tried to look pleasant 
and his smile grew and grew until it was 
so wide and alarming that the Quixies 
thought he was splitting in two. Even 
Cheerups drew a little nearer to the 
shelter of his house. 

^‘NoWj shake them off, Mr. Rhino!” 
called Quickear and Softfoot from the 
tree top. And Ranny, with a mighty toss 
of his head, sent the Magic Ear Muffs 
flying into the bushes. 

After this,” said Cheerups gleefully, 
^^you will have no trouble with your 
hearing and it won^t make so much 
difference about your eyes.” 

Ranny Rhino began to dance and 
frisk about with joy. He looked so like 
a brown barrel trying to be lively that 
the Quixies giggled. But his heart was 
light if his footsteps were n^t. 


THE MAGIC EAR MUFFS 


89 


“I want to try my ears right away/’ 
he cried. ‘^1 believe I could hear the 
rustle of a butterfly’s wing. Oh, thank 
you, thank you, Mr. Cheerups; I’m so 
grateful! I’ll take you to the finest 
sugar-cane plantation in Africa any time 
you want to go. It’s just delicious! Or 
maybe you would like bamboo better.” 

^^Not to-day, thank you, Ranny,” 
laughed Cheerups. “But come and see 
us again soon!” 

“All right, sir, I will. Good-by, every¬ 
body!” and Ranny Rhino trudged away 
into the Jungle, pricking up his ears and 
listening as he went. 





FOURTEENTH STORY 


RAFFY GIRAFFE FINDS 
HIS TONGUE 

O NE warm sunny day, Cheerups 
was sitting on the ground near 
his little house in the Jungle 
and looking lazily up into the great 
trees. He was looking to see if any fruit 
were growing handy. ^H’ll send Soft- 
foot or Brighteyes up to get it if I find 
some,^’ thought he. Then suddenly he 
spied a long gold-colored face, all cov¬ 
ered with brown spots, and two big 
solemn eyes looking down at him. 
Cheerups was most too astonished to 
breathe. Gracious, that’s a new kind 


92 THE GIRAFFE FINDS HIS TONGUE 

of fruit to me!’’ Then as his eyes trav¬ 
eled slowly down, down, over about 
eight feet of neck and along about ten 
feet more of body and leg, he had the 
surprise of his life. 

^^It’s an animal!” cried Cheerups out 
loud. ^^But it must be the tallest one 
in the world.” 

Then the funny head at the top of 
the long neck began to nod. Up and 
down it nodded and nodded. 

Well, I must have said the right thing 
that time,” murmured Cheerups. “But 
why does n’t he talk, instead of nodding 
in that silly fashion? He probably thinks 
I can’t hear so far away. What he needs 
is a telephone.” 

“That’s Raffy Giraffe, Mr. Cheerups,” 
called Jack the Monkey, who was sitting 
up in the Tall Palm Tree eating dates. 


THE GIRAFFE FINDS HIS TONGUE 93 


can hear what you say but he can^t 
talk. He has n^t any voice. Raffy, and 
Boomer Kangaroo who lives in Aus¬ 
tralia, are the only animals in the world 
who can^t make a sound. Funny the 
way men talk about dumb animals, 
is n^t it? I guess nobody in his right 
senses would call me that,” chattered 
Jacky with a chuckle. 

^^So youVe lost your tongue, have 
you, Raffy?” inquired Cheerups kindly. 
^^That^s a pity!” 

Then quick as a flash out of Raffy^s 
mouth shot the longest, slimmest tongue 
Cheerups had ever seen. It was so 
twisty and slender that it looked as 
if it could wrap around anything and 
tie in a bowknot. 

Cheerups just couldn’t help laugh¬ 
ing. He laughed and laughed. To think 


94 THE GIRAFFE FINDS HIS TONGUE 


of having almost the longest tongue in 
the world and not using it for anything! 
It was too funny. Then he caught sight 
of the sad look in Raffy’s eyes and 
realized that what seems funny to one 
person may be no laughing matter to 
another. 

“I’m very sorry/’ sighed Cheerups. 
“Something is wrong somewhere, and 
I’d love to help you, but how can I 
when I don’t know what is wanted?” 

“I can tell you,” chirped Jacky Monk. 
“I have watched Raffy a lot. He has 
the longest neck in the world. There 
is n’t a reacher anywhere who can com¬ 
pare with him, but when he is eating 
leaves in the tops of the trees, there are 
always a few just a little beyond him 
and those seem to be the very ones he 
wants most. He ought to be satisfied 


THE GIRAFFE FINDS HIS TONGUE 95 


with those he can get, but I know he 
is n’t, by the look in his eyes. Is n’t 
that so, Raffy?” 

Raffy nodded his head, switched his 
tail and swayed his long neck back and 
forth. It was evident that Jacky had 
told his difficulty exactly. 

Cheerups was thinking very hard in¬ 
deed. Then joyfully he shouted, ^^Why, 
of course, it’s your tongue that can do 
it. If you can’t talk with it, it ought to 
be good for something. Your tongue is 
long and slender, and you can stretch it 
out for those leaves. It has prehensile 
or grasping power too, like the tails of 
the South American monkeys. You can 
pick a single leaf or even a blade of grass 
with it. It can be made short or long, 
wide or narrow. Now is n’t that a gift 
to be happy about? There’s another 


96 THE GIRAFFE FINDS HIS TONGUE 

thing, Raffy: sometimes the trees you 
feed on are rough and thorny and hurt 
your tender nose, so just close your nos¬ 
trils to protect them. You can do it, I 
know.^^ 

Raffy looked delighted. He closed his 
nostrils immediately to see if he could. 
Then he ran out his long tongue and 
nipped off a leaf high up in the Bread¬ 
fruit Tree. Then he looked at Cheerups 
with eyes full of gratitude, kicked up his 
heels, switched his tail joyfully and ran 
off through the Jungle. 

^^But remember,’’ called Cheerups after 
him, ^Hhat the things which are out of 
reach are often no better than those just 
at hand. I hope he heard it,” murmured 
Cheerups thoughtfully. 


FIFTEENTH STORY 


CHEERUPS DISCOVERS A 
TRAPDOOR 

C HEERUPS gave a gasp of surprise 
when he discovered that the 
ground was rising under him. 
He was standing right in his own front 
yard, not a step from his little palm-leaf 
house; and where could any one be safer 
than in his own front yard? Yet there 
was no mistake about it, the ground 
under Cheerups was moving. 

With a little spring he jumped to one 
side and then what do you suppose hap¬ 
pened? A small piece of earth like a tiny 
lid popped right up just where he had 


98 CHEERUPS DISCOVERS A TRAPDOOR 

been standing and out poked a little 
head. 

^^Good morning, Mr. Cheerups,’^ said 
a small voice from under the lid. ^^I^m 
Mrs. Spider, Mrs. Trapdoor Spider, and 
your nearest neighbor, I guess, so I 
thought I would be friendly and make 
the first call.’’ With that out climbed 
Mrs. Spider on to the ground and stood 
eying Cheerups, as if a little doubtful 
of her welcome. 

am glad to know you,” replied 
Cheerups, as cordially as he could for 
his surprise, ^^but I never dreamed—” 

^^No, of course you didn’t,” cried Mrs. 
Spider with a merry twinkle in at least 
six of her eight round eyes. Nobody 
would be expected to dream of a neigh¬ 
bor’s house right under his nose, or his 
toes rather. But that’s the best part of 


CHEERUPS DISCOVERS A TRAPDOOR 99 

it, you see, sir! My house is tucked away 
so snugly under your yard that you 
would hardly notice that I’m there. Do 
you think you^11 mind?’’ 

^^Not at all, not at all,” chuckled 
Cheerups, beginning to be amused. ^^But 
I would like to know something about 
this curious house of yours. How do you 
build it?” 

^‘1 don’t; I just dig it,” hummed Mrs. 
Spider. “I dig with my fangs way down 
deep into the earth — oh, about two feet, 
— then I carry away all the dirt I ’ve 
dug out and hide it, so no one will know 
I have been digging. Now I call that 
clever, don’t you?” 

“I should say so,” gasped Cheerups, 
growing more and more astonished every 
minute. 

^^And now you are wondering why my 


100 CHEERUPS DISCOVERS A TRAPDOOR 


house does n’t get wet in a heavy shower,” 
continued Mrs. Spider. ''But you see, 
I always choose a location where the 
water will run off — the side of a bank, 
for instance — and I make my tunnel 
turn a little to one side at the bottom.” 

"Then it’s just the shape of a stock¬ 
ing, isn’t it?” cried Cheerups, clapping 
his hands. 

"Well, whatever a stocking may be I 
don’t know,” sniffed Mrs. Spider, "but 
I find that a comfortable way to build, 
anyway.” 

"Why, don’t you know about stock¬ 
ings, Mrs. Spider?” said Cheerups. 
"They are such useful things! They are 
what boys and girls hang up on Christ¬ 
mas Eve and find full of sweetmeats 
and nuts and lovely presents in the 
morning.” 


GHEERUPS DISCOVERS A TRAPDOOR 101 

Bless me, but you do say funny 
things, Mr. Cheerups!’’ spluttered Mrs. 
Spider, growing a little cross. These 
above-earth folks, with their queer ways 
and big words, are beyond my under¬ 
standing. The sensible ones all live 
below ground, I guess.’’ 

^^Oh, please do excuse me, Mrs. 
Spider,” pleaded Cheerups. was only 
teasing a little, and honestly, I would n’t 
miss the rest of your story for anything. 
I just can’t wait to hear more about that 
wonderful house.” 

^^Well, it isn’t very polite to inter¬ 
rupt, I must say, Mr. Cheerups,” said 
Mrs. Spider with a gentle little hum. 
''But if you’ll be good. I’ll go on, and 
maybe I will tell you how I furnish my 
house too.” 




SIXTEENTH STORY 


MRS. SPIDER GETS 
ADVICE 


's see, where was said Mrs. 



Spider, as she settled down on 
a piece of moss beside Cheerups 


for a good long talk. 

^^You were just telling me about your 
wonderful house,” replied Cheerups; 
^^how you dig a tunnel two feet deep and 
hide all the earth you have dug out, so 
no one will discover where you are 
building.” 

Yes, that ^s the Very place; and did nT 
I promise to tell you how I furnish my 
little home too? Well, I just line the 


104 MRS. SPIDER GETS ADVICE 


tunnel I have dug with two sheets of 
silk which I spin myself. It ^s the same 
kind of silk of which other spiders make 
their webs. The lining next the earth is 
coarse and waterproof, but the one in¬ 
side is very fine and soft. That sounds 
comfy, does nT it?^^ said Mrs. Spider 
proudly. 

should say so,” cried Cheerups, 
^^but you are forgetting the trapdoor. 
That seems to me the most wonderful 
part of all.” 

“Oh, no, I^m not forgetting, Mr. 
Cheerups,” said Mrs. Spider. “I^m just 
leaving the best till the last, like frost¬ 
ing, you know. First I have to measure 
the doorway with my feelers, then I 
spin a little silken pad exactly the right 
size and shape, which I make sticky 
with my own special kind of glue. This 


MRS. SPIDER GETS ADVICE 105 

pad I sprinkle with bits of earth; then 
comes another pad of silk and so on, 
until I think the door is thick enough. 
It’s quite like a layer cake.’’ 

'^Well, whatever it’s like, it’s cer¬ 
tainly very remarkable,” said Cheerups, 
his eyes round with wonder. “And 
then how do you fasten it on?” 

“Why, with a hinge, of course, silly,” 
piped Mrs. Spider, “a hinge of silk, and 
I put it on the outside too, so the door 
will close of its own weight after me. I 
don’t believe in any more work than 
necessary. But I do go so far as to cover 
my front door with bits of dirt and tiny 
stones. Then, unless I am just coming 
out, no one would know it from the rest 
of the ground.” 

“Now I call that very complete!” 
said Cheerups admiringly; “just a per- 


106 MRS. SPIDER GETS ADVICE 


fectly snug little home! What more 
could any one want?’’ 

^^Yes, it is that, sir; it’s all of 
that, and yet,” sighed Mrs. Spider, 
^^it’s not as safe as it sounds. If an 
unwelcome visitor wanted to come and 
pull up the door he could, in spite of 
me. There’s something lacking, but I 
can’t think what it is; yes, something 
lacking.” 

^^Mmmmmm,” murmured Cheerups. 
^‘Let me see. I have it, Mrs. Spider! 
Spin some threads of silk, fasten them 
to the inside of your door, and then sit 
on the other ends when you don’t want 
to be disturbed.” 

That’s a splendid idea, Mr. Cheerups. 
How good you are to help me out. But 
suppose an enemy came along who was 
stronger than I and pulled open my door 


MRS. SPIDER GETS ADVICE 107 

by force. I could never hold it down 
with those threads.’^ 

^^Then build a little side tunnel lead¬ 
ing from your house to run into until 
the danger is past, Mrs. Spider,” said 
Cheerups. 

^^Well really, sir, you astonish me,” 
gasped Mrs. Spider. thought I was 
clever, but you are both clever and kind, 
and that’s much better. I shall try not 
to bother you, but I shall certainly call 
again when I want advice. Good morn¬ 
ing, sir!” and the tiny trapdoor clicked 
behind Mrs. Spider as she dropped into 
her cosy little home. 





* 

\ 

i; 


I 




-■Si 



SEVENTEENTH STORY 


JERRY JERBOA’S JOKE 


hee hee, tee hee hee/’ chuck- 
I led a very small voice right at 
Cheerup^s elbow. ^^IVe just 
thought of the funniest thing!’’ 

“I think you might tell a fellow, so he 
could laugh too,” said Cheerups, catch¬ 
ing sight of a small sand-colored animal 
on the ground close beside him. “It 
is n’t fair to keep good jokes to one’s 
self.” 

“Mercy, no; I didn’t mean to,” said 
the small animal. “I’m Jerry Jerboa, 
sir, and I ask you, as man to man, don’t 
I look like a bird? Just watch me hop- 


no JERRY JERBOA’S JOKE 

ping around here on my long hind 
legs and look at my two fore feet, so 
short and tucked up against my breast 
that you would hardly notice them. 
Now tell me, would n^t you take me for a 
bird, Mr. Cheerups?” 

said Cheerups doubtfully, 
maybe I would at a little distance, 
maybe I would. You do look something 
like one.’^ 

“ There cried Jerry gleefully. 
told you I looked like a bird, and the 
joke is that I^m not one! No, sir, not at 
all, as you would know if you noticed my 
long tail with its jolly tuft of hair on the 
end. A great blessing, that tail, I can 
tell you. When I am leaping about, I 
just stretch it out and keep my balance 
beautifully.’’ 

^^You are very lucky to have such a 



Wouldn’t you take me lor a bird, Mr. Clieerups 

Page 110. 


9 ” 







. v • • 

♦« i 

i • I 


/ 


I 




JERRY JERBOA’S JOKE 


111 


good rudder, Mr. Jerboa,’^ said Cheer- 
ups, ^^and I see that you are just the 
color of sand too. Do you live in the 
Great Desert?^’ 

^^Yes, sir, youVe guessed it the very 
first thing. My, but you are clever, Mr. 
Cheerups,^’ cried Jerry Jerboa. live 
in a burrow in the sand, and you are right 
about my being lucky, of course, because 
my color almost matches the Desert and 
I can hardly be seen; but there is one 
thing which troubles me a little: the 
sand is so slippery that I find it hard to 
get a good hold with my two usable 
feet, and you have to have a good hold 
when you are jumping. 

Maybe my Quixie Softfoot can help 
you, Jerry, if he has n^t run away to¬ 
day,^’ said Cheerups. 

^^Here I am, sir, — did I hear my name, 


112 


JERRY JERBOA’S JOKE 


sir? And you would n^t be wanting the 
Magic Slippers by any chance, would 
you, sir?’’ piped Softfoot, running up 
and tugging at a large pair of slippers 
as he came. 

^^Just in time, Softfoot,” shouted 
Cheerups. ^^Now, Jerry, put on these 
Magic Slippers and I think your troubles 
will be over.” 

^^Over! Well, I guess they would,” 
laughed Jerry, looking up at the great 
slippers which towered over him. 

Everything would be over with me if 
I once got lost in those slippers. But 
if you are really serious, Mr. Cheerups, 
I’ll try them — here goes!” and with 
one bound Jerry Jerboa jumped into the 
slippers and was lost to view. Only a 
faint chuckle was heard, and a voice 
from their depths said, ^‘Well, this is the 


JERRY JERBOA’S JOKE 113 

greatest joke of all. The whole of me is 
in one slipper.” 

^^Now come out, quick,” called Soft- 
foot, and out leaped Jerry, smiling but 
still doubtful about this strange per¬ 
formance. 

^^If you will take a look at your feet 
now, Jerry, you will find that your jolly 
good tail is nT the only thing which has 
long hairs on it. Your feet are covered 
with them, and there will be no more slip¬ 
ping on the sand,” said Cheerups kindly. 

^^Well, I must say that’s nice,” cried 
Jerry, '‘and I am most grateful to you 
both, and the slipper as well. I managed 
to get into only one.” 

"Remember too that the hairs on 
your feet will keep the hot sands from 
burning them,” said Cheerups. 

"Well, I don’t go out very often in 


114 


JERRY JERBOA’S JOKE 


the daytime, Mr. Cheerups, for the dark¬ 
ness seems safer. I made a special ex¬ 
ception of this, so as not to disturb your 
sleep. But I don^t know when IVe had 
such a good time. I wish you would 
come out to the Great Desert some even¬ 
ing. I would invite in a few friends and 
weM have a lovely time,’^ chirped merry 
little Jerry Jerboa, as he hopped away 
through the Jungle. 


EIGHTEENTH STORY 


THE CRUSTY CROCODILE 

EAR, dear, but this has been a 
\ dull day,’^ yawned Cheerups, 
stretching his arms above his 
head and brushing away a passing fly. 
“Home life is splendid, but a change 
now and then is good too. I^m going for 
a walk! Come on, Quixie Boys; what 
do you say to a stroll down by the 
Yellow River? 

Of course, Brighteyes, Quickear, Soft- 
foot and Sniffsniff were willing. Their 
eyes were sparkling and their feet danc¬ 
ing already with anticipation of a good 
time and maybe a real adventure, for 


i 



116 THE CRUSTY CROCODILE 


who knows what may be just behind the 
next slender palm tree or that fat bush 
over there with the big blue flowers? 

So in single file down the Winding 
Way they went, Cheerups in the lead 
with the Quixies behind, keeping their 
eyes on Cheerups’ little red shoes as 
they twinkled in and out of the Tall 
Grasses. They did n’t want to lose sight 
of their leader and the promised lark. 

On and on they trudged until they 
came to the Yellow River, and there, on 
the muddy bank in the shade of an old 
date palm which had been bearing fruit 
for hundreds of years, lay a rough brown 
log. Just a splendid place for weary 
folks to rest. 

“Whew, but I’m tired,” puffed Quick- 
ear, “tired and hot. Let’s sit down for a 
while!” 


THE CRUSTY CROCODILE 117 

^^That^s a good idea/^ said Cheerups, 
fanning himself with a leaf. ^^It^s very 
warm exercising.” 

^^Oh, don’t,” cried Brighteyes, just 
as they were about to settle down on the 
old rough log. Please don’t sit there; 
you might hurt his feelings!” 

Whose feelings, for goodness’ sake, 
Brighteyes? You do say the queerest 
things,” scolded Sniffsniff. It ♦won’t 
hurt mine certainly. You forget that 
we have n’t all of us Softfoot’s padded 
slippers. We are tired!” 

‘^But don’t you see those round shiny 
eyes in the end of the log?” cried Bright¬ 
eyes. ^^It’s Mr. Alligator, I do believe. 
Now would n’t it have been funny if we 
had all sat on him?” and Brighteyes 
clapped his hands gleefully. 

^^You mustn’t be rude even to a log 


118 THE CRUSTY CROCODILE 


of wood, Brighteyes, for you see there 
no telling what it might turn out to be. 
Ahem, good afternoon, Mr. Alligator,” 
said Cheerups, in his best manner. I am 
sorry we did n’t recognize you at once.” 

Crocodile, if you please, sir; Croco¬ 
dile is my name,” rumbled the log. 
^^Some call me the Crusty Crocodile, 
but there’s really no reason for it; they 
are only the ones who don’t like me. 
When you mistook my name you were 
probably thinking of my American cous¬ 
ins, the Alligator Boys. As to the fact 
that you did n’t recognize me at once, 
I’m not in the least’ offended. I like 
to look like a log as I lie here in the 
mud. It’s a great way to keep out of 
the eye of one’s enemies; very good 
camouflage, I say. Yes I’m really quite 
pleased that you did n’t know me.” 


THE CRUSTY CROCODILE 119 


^^But I^m afraid we disturbed your 
doze in the nice warm sun/’ said Cheer- 
ups pleasantly. We’ll go away now 
and let you finish your nap.” 

“Nap, did you say; nap, Mr. Cheer- 
ups?” snapped the Crusty Crocodile. 
“Well, upon my word,” opening his 
great mouth in a terrific smile, “it did 
look as if I were asleep, did n’t it? But 
there are very few who catch me nap¬ 
ping, I can tell you.” 

“I hear that you can stay under water 
a long time, Mr. Crocodile,” said Cheer- 
ups, trying to keep him in a good humor. 

“Right you are, Mr. Cheerups,” and 
the Crocodile beamed with pleasure that 
his fame had spread so far. “I can stay 
under water with my mouth wide open 
too, and that’s more than any of you 
can do. I’ll wager.” 


120 THE CRUSTY CROCODILE 

Goodness! I should say so!’^ gasped 
the Quixies in chorus. 

^^That sounds a bit like a fish story, 
Crusty,’^ teased Cheerups, ^^but of course 
I know it is n^t,” he added hastily, as 
the Crocodile began to open his jaws and 
show his rows of terrible teeth. 

^^No fish story about that,” he rum¬ 
bled and grumbled. IT1 take you under 
water with me, if you would like to 
prove it.” 

^^Oh, no, thank you. Crusty,” cried 
Cheerups in alarm. am perfectly 
sure you are right about it, but what I 
want to know is how you do such a 
wonderful thing.” 

^^Well, it^s this way,” replied Crusty 
Crocodile, all good nature again. “At 
the back of my throat is a curious valve 
which closes so tight when I open my 


THE CRUSTY CROCODILE 121 


mouth that not the tiniest drop of water 
can get down my throat. But that 
is n’t my only accomplishment. I can 
run very fast on land, and you just ought 
to see me swim! By switching this 
powerful tail of mine from side to side, 
I can go through the water like a streak 
of lightning. But dear me! Here I am 
talking about myself all the time. Please 
excuse me, Mr. Cheerups, and tell me 
why you chose to come to Africa?” 

^^Oh, we didn’t exactly choose,” 
laughed Cheerups merrily; '^we just 
came. You see, we lived on the top of 
a Great Mountain in America and no¬ 
body ever came to see us so we wished 
and wished for a chance to broaden our 
acquaintance. Then we decided to travel, 
and here we are. We really came to 
help people, and I am sorry, Mr. Croco- 


122 THE CRUSTY CROCODILE 


dile, that we have n^t done anything 
for you/^ 

^^Oh, but you have, sir. As a matter 
of fact, I was feeling quite blue with 
nobody to share this nice mud and sun 
with me. Then you came along and gave 
me a very pleasant afternoon. It has 
made things look brighter just to talk to 
you, Mr. Cheerups. 

Sometimes a smile, as you will find, 

Is the very best way of being kind.’’ 

Then into the water slid Crusty Croco¬ 
dile. Watch me swim,’’ he called, as 
he waved his tail and vanished in a curve 
of the Yellow River. 



Look, look,” \vhispered Brighteyes, ” right over 
there; don’t you see?” Page 123. 








NINETEENTH STORY 


BRIGHTEYES MAKES A 
MISTAKE 


H, quick; come quick, Boys,’^ 
cried Brighteyes one day, as he 
sat on his spider web, resting 



during the heat of noontime. Hurry, 
hurry 

Up panted Quickear, Softfoot and Sniff- 
sniff as fast as they could and gathered 
around their playmate to see what the 
fun was. 

“Look, look,^’ whispered Brighteyes, 
“right over there; don’t you see? His 
coat is all white with black stripes; 
maybe he is just out of prison.” 


124 BRIGHTEYES MAKES A MISTAKE 

Well, for my part I can’t see a thing/’ 
grumbled Quickear; ^^but I can hear a 
most peculiar noise. It sounds harsh 
and rasping, like some one sawing wood 
back home on the steep mountain side.” 

don’t see anything nor do I hear 
anything,” piped Softfoot and Sniff- 
sniff in chorus. “What’s the joke any¬ 
way, Brighteyes?” 

“Can’t you be a little quieter, Boys?” 
said Cheerups, looking out of his house. 
“Dear, dear, I just thought I would have 
a wink or two while Mr. Sun was doing 
his worst. But, bless me, who is that?” 
as a plump little white horse all covered 
with black stripes came cantering up. 

“How do you do, how do you do?” 
neighed the little horse in the same rasp¬ 
ing tones which Quickear had heard. 
“I’m Zippy Zebra, and I’ve come a 


BRIGHTEYES MAKES A MISTAKE 125 


long way, I can tell you. It took a lot 
of courage to do it too. All the family 
advised me not to come, said it was 
dangerous to get far from home and all 
that sort of thing, but Mrs. Ostrich and 
the Nervous Gnu said they knew you 
well and not to miss calling. They 
hinted that you might be gone if I did nT 
hurry, so here I am. Mrs. Ostrich and 
Mr. Gnu are my very good friends, you 
know. We pal around together a lot on 
the Great Plain, and I have every con¬ 
fidence in their judgment.’’ Zippy Zebra 
stopped to catch his breath. 

“Well, well,” said Cheerups, now 
thoroughly awake, “I am delighted to 
see any one who knows Mrs. Ostrich 
and Mr. Gnu. We have so many friends 
now that we begin to feel very much at 
home in Africa. We are not thinking of 


126 BRIGHTEYES MAKES A MISTAKE 

leaving for a long time yet. But I 
should like to explore a little; an excur¬ 
sion to the mountains or a week-end on 
the Broad Plain, perhaps/' 

^^Oh, sir, that would be splendid! 
I^m sure you would have a warm wel¬ 
come everywhere, except perhaps in the 
moimtains. You see, we Zebras are a 
shy lot. My branch of the family lives 
on the Broad Plain and is more used to 
society, but my cousins, the Mountain 
Zebras, who live up in the hills, just 
don't care for company at all. I say 
they carry it too far, but every one to 
his taste, of course. Why, they even 
post sentinels on the highest crags to 
warn the herd when any one is coming, 
so they can all scamper away. That's 
not very hospitable, it seems to me. 
And they are so pretty too, you'd think 


BRIGHTEYES MAKES A MISTAKE 127 


they would be proud to show off a bit. 
They have nT plain white legs like mine, 
but are striped all over, way down to their 
hoofs.’’ 

“Thanks for the hint, Zippy. We’ll 
try not to intrude on your shy cousins,” 
laughed Cheerups. “But I should think 
all those black stripes would make you 
very easily seen, even at night.” 

“Oh, no, sir; it’s just the other way,” 
brayed Zippy with a proud ring in his 
voice. “They help to hide us in the 
daytime, but at night we are almost in¬ 
visible. It’s on account of the stripes 
that we are so inconspic— inconspic—” 

“Inconspicuous, perhaps,” added 
Cheerups. 

I 

“Yes, that’s it, sir, the very word! 
I’m not good at big ones,” replied Zippy, 
feeling a little embarrassed. “Now I’ve 


128 BRIGHTEYES MAKES A MISTAKE 

made quite a long call for the first one. 
They told me at home not to stay till 
you were tired, because I do love to talk. 
Come and see us some time; good-by, 
everybody,’^ and Zippy Zebra trotted 
away with a parting whisk of his little 
tail. 

gasped Brighteyes, guess 
I was mistaken that time!^’ 


TWENTIETH STORY 


MR. HOOPOE’S HORN 


‘‘rnp^His cry I make would be all 
I right for some folks, I suppose. 

Lots of little birds would be 
proud of it, but I’m not satisfied. It 
is n’t loud enough to suit me,” mumbled 
and grumbled a Hoopoe to himself, as 
he sat one fine day in the shade of a rock 
out on the Great Desert. 

He looked so nearly like the sand 
as he crouched there that he was 
scarcely visible. His body of grayish 
brown and his black wings and tail, 
barred with white, were a perfect 
protection. 


130 


MR. HOOPOE’S HORN 


“ There Mr. Hawk sailing around and 
around up in the sky. He’s looking for 
me, I guess,” thought the Hoopoe, “but 
he can’t find me, even with his sharp 
eyes. I’ll just flatten out my body on 
the sand and keep perfectly still. He’ll 
go away in a minute without his dinner. 
Oh, I’m quite safe, but safety doesn’t 
come first with me. No, sir, I want to 
make a noise. Perhaps if I tried and 
tried, I might be able to get out a decent 
whoop, but it is n’t wise here with that 
pesky hawk about. I believe I ’ll go into 
the Jungle where it’s cool and quiet and 
practice a bit.” 

■' Off flew the dissatisfied Hoopoe into 
the Jungle. On and on between the 
great trees with their big dewy leaves, 
in and out of the tangled Jungle Vines, 
across the Yellow River and through the 


MR. HOOPOE’S HORN 


131 


Winding Way he went, looking for a good 
place to stop and begin his singing lesson. 

^^Here^s the very spot/’ cried he. 
^^It’s all cleared out and there’s nobody 
around. Oh, excuse me, sir; I thought 
I was alone. I hope I’m not intruding,” 
as he caught sight of a tiny fairy dressed 
all in green. 

Intruding? Dear me, dear me, I 
should say not,” chuckled the little 
fellow, smiling from ear to ear. ^^I’m 
Cheerups, and I just love visitors. Why, 
I stay at home almost all the time so as 
not to miss any one. May I ask your 
name, sir?” 

^^I’m Mr. Hoopoe from the Great 
Desert,” replied the bird, puffing out his 
feathers. ^'You’ll find me in 'Who’s 
Who among the Hoopoes’ any time you 
care to look, sir. I was just trying to 


132 


MR. HOOPOE’S HORN 


find a quiet place for a little vocal prac¬ 
tice. You see, I^m not satisfied with 
my voice. You ^11 agree that the quality 
is splendid when you hear me, but I 
want more volume. Will it disturb you 
if I begin right away?’^ 

Begin by all means, Mr. Hoopoe; 
nothing could please me better. Besides, 
I might be able to help you,’^ cried 
Cheerups eagerly. ‘^1 am quite a judge 
of music. Why, I used to give lessons 
to the Cricket children and Mr. Screech 
Owl, and once I trained a chorus of bees. 
Buzzy Bumblebee had a wonderful bass.” 

With such encouragement, Mr. Hoopoe 
began to sing, but it was a poor at¬ 
tempt. Cheerups knew right away that 
it would n^t do. Such a small, squeaky 
sound was n’t impressive at all. No, 
indeed, it would n’t do! 


MR. HOOPOE’S HORN 


133 


^^Your method of singing is all wrong 
if it^s volume you want, Mr. Hoopoe,’^ 
said Cheerups. ^^Now just puff out the 
sides of your neck, then hammer your 
beak three times on the ground, and 
youdl make as big a sound as any one 
could wish. Every time you strike the 
ground with your beak some of the air 
in your throat will escape, and that will 
make the noise.^^ 

Three times on the ground, did you 
say?^’ asked Mr. Hoopoe, puffing out 
his neck and looking about to burst. 
Then three times he rapped the ground 
with his beak, and out on the morning 
air rang three loud clear calls. 

^^Hoo-hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo,’’ screamed 
that delighted bird. ^^My, but that^s 
fine,’’ he gasped, when he could get his 
breath. ^Ht was hard work, but it was 


134 


MR. HOOPOE’S HORN 


worth it; and 1^11 tell everybody in the 
Jungle who wants singing lessons to 
come to you. You are a wonderful 
teacher, Mr. Cheerups. How glad I am 
that I dropped in.’’ 

Then ^^hoo-hoo-hoo” came fainter and 
fainter the sound through the Jungle, as 
happy Mr. Hoopoe hopped away, blow¬ 
ing his own horn. 


TWENTY-FIRST STORY 


A RAINY DAY IN THE 
JUNGLE 

I T was pouring. Not a ray of sun¬ 
shine greeted Cheerups when he 
opened his eyes. All the world was 
gray, and nothing could be heard but 
the sound of great drops tinkling on his 
tiny roof. 

guess I shall have to stay at home 
to-day, sure enough,’’ chuckled he, wag¬ 
ging his topknot; ^^and no visitors will 
come either, unless the ducks manage 
to get out. I feel a trifle moist, but 
it’s worse for the Quixies out there on 
their spider webs in all this rain. Oh, 


136 A RAINY DAY IN THE JUNGLE 


Brighteyes, Quickear, Softfoot, Sniff- 
sniff; come here and get under as much 
cover as this summer house of mine 
offers!’’ 

The Quixies did n’t take long in 
answering that call. They were all 
very wet except Sniffsniff, who said 
he had found a big mushroom to crawl 
under. 

^^Now, Boys, Old Brother East Wind 
has just whispered to me that he’s going 
to keep this rain up all day. What shall 
we do? Supposing we play games!” 

^^Oh, please, Mr. Cheerups,” begged 
Brighteyes, “tell us a story!” 

“Yes, yes, a story,” chimed the others 
in chorus, clapping their hands and 
squealing with delight. 

“Oh, well, if it’s a story you are want¬ 
ing, you provoking young rascals, I sup- 


A RAINY DAY IN THE JUNGLE 137 


pose I can find one tucked away in my 
head somewhere/^ said Cheerups, smil¬ 
ing. ^^But I am getting decidedly damp 
on one side, and if you want a story, you 
will have to keep your story-teller dry 
in some way.^’ 

I know how,^^ cried Quickear. “ We dl 
get some big leaves and hang them like 
curtains on the side of the house where 
the rain comes in.’^ Before Cheerups 
could suggest that they would get all wet 
while doing it, they were off and back 
again with the leaves; almost before he 
had time to put on his little red shoes 
and straighten up his topknot for the 
day. Then the great glossy leaves were 
fastened on two sides of the house in a 
twinkling, with strong grasses and bits 
of Twisty Vine, and the jolly little 
Quixies, all snug and warm, sat down 


138 A RAINY DAY IN THE JUNGLE 

in a circle about Cheerups, their eyes 
shining, and their ears pricked for a 
story. 

“Most stories begin ^Once upon a 
time,”’ said Cheerups, beaming, for he 
was enjoying himself immensely, “but 
this one starts with just ^Yesterday.’ Do 
you boys remember Mr. Hoopoe, who 
came for a singing lesson? ” 

“Remember him? I should say so!” 
piped Quickear. “I was out on the 
edge of the Desert eating prickly pears 
with Jacky Monk, and I heard him all 
that way. Goodness, but he made a 
noise, worse than Fourth of July back 
home.” 

“There’s quite a remarkable story 
about Mr. Hoopoe,” said Cheerups hast¬ 
ily, trying to change the subject. It 
made him a little homesick to think of 


A RAINY DAY IN THE JUNGLE 139 


the Fourth of July, and he saw a tear in 
Softfoot^s eye. 

^^Well, in Arabia, which is a country 
lying beyond the Desert of Sahara and 
the Red Sea, far away from our Jungle, 
the people have a legend about Mr. 
Hoopoe and King Solomon, who lived 
long, long ago. Once when King Solo¬ 
mon was traveling through the Desert 
— for other lands have deserts too, you 
know — he grew very faint from the 
hot rays of Big Bright Mr. Sun. Then 
a flock of Hoopoes came and formed a 
screen just above his head to protect 
him. King Solomon was so delighted and 
thought it was so kind of the Hoopoes 
that he asked what he could do for them 
as a reward. What do you suppose the 
foolish things asked for? Why, crowns 
of gold upon their heads! Of course, 


140 A RAINY DAY IN THE JUNGLE 


the king granted their request, and they 
were very happy and proud of them¬ 
selves for a while, looking into all the 
pools and even the dewdrops to catch 
their reflections. But soon men began 
to trap them and hunt them to get their 
golden crowns. The Hoopoes were most 
dreadfully frightened then, and some of 
them went back to King Solomon and 
begged that he would take away the 
horrid crowns. The kind king listened 
to their troubles, of course, and gave 
them crowns of feathers instead of their 
golden ones. Ever since then these birds 
have worn brown crests with white and 
black tips. Did nT you notice Mr. 
Hoopoe^s yesterday? 

“Oh, yes, Mr. Cheerups, we did,’^ 
cried the Quixies in glee, “for we were 
peeking from behind the Breadfruit Tree 


A RAINY DAY IN THE JUNGLE 141 


all the time, except Quickear, who was 
away eating fruit. Thank you, sir; that 
was a lovely story 

^^But you see now, don’t you,” said 
Cheerups, with a merry twinkle in his 
eye, ^Hhat 

Golden crowns and all the rest 
Are not of gifts the very best” ? 
















TWENTY-SECOND STORY 


THE ODD OKAPI 

< ^ AM going to call on Cheerups this 
I morning/' said OUie Okapi to Mrs. 

Okapi, with a brisk determined 
air. It had taken him a long time to 
make up his mind and he did n't want 
any objections made. “Cheerups has 
grown so famous that the whole Jungle 
rings with his good deeds. Whispers of 
them have come even to us here in the 
thickest part of the Deep Forest." 

“Well, I don't see why you should n't 
go, my dear," replied Mrs. Okapi, much 
to OUie's surprise. “I should think he 
would be delighted to see you. This 


144 


THE ODD OKAPI 


Cheerups person may be wonderful and 
helpful and all that, but when it comes 
to curiosities, there is n’t one that I 
know of who can hold a candle, or a 
firefly I mean, to you, Ollie. You are 
the most oddest —” 

^^The oddest, my dear, the oddest! I 
do wish you would be careful of your 
African,” said Ollie gently, for he was 
feeling very much flattered. Perhaps 
it would be a treat to him to see me, now 
that you speak of it. Why should n’t I 
do folks a favor once in a while, when 
it’s so easy? That’s a very good idea 
indeed,” and Ollie Okapi strutted up and 
down as well as he could for the Great 
Trees and the Twisty Vines which got 
in his way. ^^How do you think I look; 
all right to start, my dear?” 

“Oh, yes, you look very handsome. 



s - 


'^Make yourself quite at home,” greeted a small 
jolly Yoiee. Page 145. 




















THE ODD OKAPI 


145 


Ollie/’ cried Mrs. Okapi, turning on him 
admiring eyes. “But don^t stay away 
too late or I shall worry. 

“No, I won’t. Mother; good-by!” and 
with a whisk of his tail and a frisk of his 
heels, the odd Okapi dashed away through 
the Woods on his journey to Cheerups. 

“I don’t believe it’s very far,” thought 
he to himself, “for the Jungle and the 
Deep Forest are really the same thing. I 
ought to be finding him soon. Why, 
here’s a nice little clear place to stop 
and look around.” 

“It certainly is, sir; make yourself 
quite at home,” greeted a small jolly 
voice. “I’m Cheerups and on the look¬ 
out for adventures this morning, but 
really, I hardly expected — ” 

“No, of course you did n’t, Mr. Cheer¬ 
ups,” shouted Ollie joyously. “I just 


146 


THE ODD OKAPI 


knew you would be too surprised for 
anything when you saw me. But you 
have n’t hurt my feelings a bit, sir. You 
could n’t be expected to know about me, 
because I have only been recently dis¬ 
covered by a famous explorer. Nobody 
really knows anything of my habits ex¬ 
cept that I live in the densest part of the 
Deep Forest and seem to go about with 
my mate only. ^Two’s company,’ say 
I. Okapi is my name, Ollie Okapi to my 
friends, and I hope you will be one of 
them, sir.” 

Thank you, thank you, but — but — ” 
stammered Cheerups. ^^It’s your looks, 
Ollie, that are so confusing. You are 
something like a giraffe, something like 
an antelope, something like a zebra and 
something like an ox, and I can’t decide 
where one begins and another leaves off.” 


THE ODD OKAPI 


147 


By this time Ollie was too pleased and 
excited to control himself. He pranced, 
capered, shook his tail and wiggled his 
ears with pride and joy. 

can^t blame you, sir,’’ roared he in 
a boastful tone. guess most any one 
would be astonished to see the reddish 
coat of an ox, the striped legs of a 
zebra, the horns of a giraffe and the 
general shape of an antelope all belong¬ 
ing to one animal. Now that I have 
given you a treat, sir, I think I must be 
going.” 

Don’t hurry, Ollie,” said Cheerups, 

who had recovered his composure by this 

time. ^^But of course, if you think Mrs. 

Okapi would be worried, you’d better 

be off. Remember, though, 

% 

matter how fine one^s looks or dress 
A boasting manner makes them less. 


148 


THE ODD OKAPI 


^^Good morning!’’ 

^^Now I wonder what he meant,” 
mused Ollie Okapi, as he scampered 
away through the trees. 




TWENTY-THIRD STORY 


WHAT’S IN A NAME? 

^ gjj.^ jg mur- 

I mured a timid voice behind Cheer- 
ups. Don’t look around ’ too 
suddenly, please. I am Willie Warthog 
and I think you are in for a surprise.” 

^^Why, nothing can surprise me now, 
Mr. Warthog,” cried Cheerups, with a 
chuckle; “I’ve seen so much of the 
world. But — mercy me!” as he turned 
slowly about and took a long look at this 
strange visitor, “perhaps there is some¬ 
thing in what you say.” 

“There! I knew you would be sur¬ 
prised. Don’t be frightened, though! 


150 


WHAT’S IN A NAME? 


I look fierce but I’m really quite bashful. 
It^s enough to make anybody shy to have 
big bumps all over his face, and teeth 
sticking out at the sides of his mouth. 
I could stand not being pretty, because 
I don’t run across a mirror in the Jungle 
very often, if that horrid name of mine 
did n’t keep reminding me of my looks. 
When I hear myseK called by it, I just 
feel as if I could n’t stand it any longer. 
And that is n’t all,” gasped the Warthog. 

There’s a lot more!” 

^^Now don’t hurry so, Willie,” said 
Cheerups kindly. “Catch your breath! 
We have all of this glorious morning in 
which to talk about your troubles; and 
I don’t believe any one’s troubles, if 
really boiled down, would take a 
whole morning to tell. Honestly, do 
you?” 


WHAT’S IN A NAME? 


151 


W-e-11/^ mused Willie Warthog slowly, 
not so sure. I think I had better 
be getting on with mine, for you don^t 
know how many I may think of. In the 
first place, it’s my looks; in the second 
place, it’s my name; and in the third 
place, it’s my neck!” 

Your neck, WiUie? Why, I should n’t 
say you had enough neck to bother you,” 
cried Cheerups. 

That’s just it; I haven’t, and that 
bothers me,” wailed Willie. ^^You have 
no idea how useful a neck is until you 
have n’t one, Mr. Cheerups. When I 
am rushing along as fast as I can to get 
away from an enemy, I can’t look around 
because my neck is too short. I don’t 
know whether he is right at my heels 
and I must put on more speed, or whether 
I have distanced him and can stop and 


152 


WHAT’S IN A NAME? 


munch grass/’ Great tears rolled down 
poor Willie’s bumpy face. 

^^Dear me, dear me,’’ said Cheerups, 
very much disturbed. ^^This won’t do 
at all. Wipe your eyes on this handker¬ 
chief, Willie,” handing him a large spider’s 
web, “and smile a bit. That will make 
you look so pleasant that no one will care 
whether you are beautiful or not. 

“Be jolly and kind, 

Not cross at all 

And your looks none will mind, 

You least of all.” 

“But my ugly name, sir,” sniffed 
Willie. 

“I’m coming to that,” chirped Cheer¬ 
ups. “You really have the most won¬ 
derful and romantic sounding name in 
all Animal Land. It might belong to the 
hero of a novel. In the language of the 


WHAT’S IN A NAME? 


153 


people of Africa, where you live, you are 
called Vlacke Vark.” 

^^0-o-o-o-h!’’ gasped Willie Warthog in 
surprise and astonishment. I don’t know 
what a novel is, but to be like a hero in 
anything is novel enough to me. Vlacke 
Vark! VlackeVark! VlackeVark! Doesn’t 
it sound beautiful? Vlacke Va—” 

“Wait a minute, Vlacke,” cried Cheer- 
ups. “Those aren’t all the nice things 
you are going to hear. Had you for¬ 
gotten about your neck?” 

“Yes, sir, I had,” sighed Vlacke sadly. 
“I had ’most forgotten that there was 
an3rthing in the world except names. Of 
course you can’t help me about my neck, 
sir. One can’t change something one 
has n’t.” 

“There’s always a way, Vlacke, if you 
will just find the way into your own 


154 


WHAT’S IN A NAME? 


mind and think it over/^ said Cheerups, 
shaking his topknot and beaming with 
good nature. Suppose you are running 
away from an enemy and want to see 
what he is doing; point your nose straight 
up into the air and look back over your 
shoulders!’^ 

Quick as a flash went the Warthog’s 
nose into the air. Sure enough, he could 
see everything behind him, only this 
time they were friendly things: a marshy 
pool, the feathery palms and great pink 
and purple flowers. 

^^Oh, Mr. Cheerups, I believe I’ll turn 
a somersault,” roared Vlacke with joy. 
“You know I do sometimes when I am 
coming out of my burrow, and I never 
felt more like it in my life. You are the 
most wonderful person and I can’t thank 
you enough.” 


WHAT’S IN A NAME? 


155 


“IVe enjoyed myself this morning, 
too/^ said Cheerups, with a smile, ^^and 
you see it has taken only half an hour to 
tell your troubles and to cure them as 
well. Good-by, Vlacke; come and see 
me again!’’ 

“Good-by, sir, and after all, I believe 

I like Willie better, — it sounds so nice 

» 

and friendly,” and Vlacke Vark the 
Warthog trudged away into the Jungle. 


/ 


'i 


TWENTY-FOURTH STORY 


THE GREAT-GRAND¬ 
MOTHER OF ALL THE 
TABBIES 



ERE, puss; here, puss; here, 
puss!’’ called Cheerups in his 
gentlest voice. ^^My, but it’s 
nice to see a cat once more! It seems 
just like being back home.” 

Begging your pardon, sir,” purred the 
animal addressed, “I’m not exactly what 
you think, and yet in a way I am. That 
sounds like talking in riddles, does n’t it? 
Perhaps I have caught the habit from the 
Sphinx; you see, I live in Egypt. Only the 
Sphinx,never explains and I will.” 




158 G.-GRANDMOTHER OF TABBIES 

Please do/’ cried the astonished 
Cheerups, as he looked curiously at his 
visitor. She was a little larger than one 
of our North American cats, of a grayish- 
yellow color with a few dark stripes on 
her back, and her fine tail was ringed 
about and tipped with black. 

“Well,” continued Puss, curling her 
tail around her feet as she sat, and purr¬ 
ing comfortably, “it’s very probable 
that the ancestor of all the pet cats in 
the world was like me, for my family has 
lived in Egypt for five thousand years.” 

“ Bless me,” gasped Cheerups. “ Think 
of that. Miss —” 

“Call me Tabby, please; it’s shorter 
and more friendly. Now you may think 
that what I have told you is wonderful, 
but the best part is coming,” said Tabby 
proudly. “Just listen to this! Long, 


G.-GRANDMOTHER OF TABBIES 159 

long ago, the people of Egypt worshiped 
us. We are wild now, but then they 
tamed us, petted us and showed us every 
honor, and to kill a cat was a very great 
crime. Whoever did so was severely 
punished. I tell you, those were the good 
old days. No tin cans and no small boys 
of the stone-throwing variety, such as 
my tame cousins have to suffer from 
now. I don’t know how you feel about 
boys, Mr. Cheerups, but I can’t see any 
use for them.” 

“Oh, I like boys,” cried Cheerups, 
“and I don’t believe they mean to be 
cruel. Tabby. Maybe no one has ever 
told them how you feel.” 

“You may be right, Mr. Cheerups, 
but tastes certainly differ,” mewed Tabby 
thoughtfully, as she curled up into a cosy 
round ball and gently closed her eyes. 


160 G.-GRANDMOTHER OF TABBIES 

Please/^ cried disappointed Cheerups, 
is n’t there any more?” He was so 
eager by this time for the rest of Tabby’s 
story that he could hardly wait. 

^^Do excuse me, sir,” murmured Tabby, 
winking and blinking sleepily. just 
dropped off for a minute. Some folks 
call it taking a cat nap. It’s a long run 
from Egypt to the Jungle, and I was 
visiting all along the way, so there were 
no end of parties, frogging parties and 
field-mouse hunts, and I am a bit tired. 
I don’t mind being up late at night, of 
course; it’s quite in my line; but parties 
are tiring. Let me see, where was I?” 

^^You were telling how the Egyptian 
people of long ago worshiped the cat,” 
said Cheerups. “It seems to me that 
those cats had a very easy time, — all 
play and no work.” 


G-GRANDMOTHER OF TABBIES 161 

was just getting to that/’ mewed 
Tabby a little fretfully. Don’t jump 
at conclusions. Even if they were wor¬ 
shiped and buried in the tombs of kings, 
cats were expected to be useful, as it’s 
my opinion that every one should be. 

^^Only a few can be beautiful, 

But all can be useful and dutiful, 

is my motto, sir, and Egyptian cats 
in the long ago had to live up to it too. 
There is a picture, thousands of years 
old, in the British Museum in London, 
which shows a hunter out in a boat, 
hunting water birds. His pet cat is with 
him, looking very serious, for she is the 
most important member of the party. 
Yes, sir, that grandmother of all pet cats 
is shown bringing back to her master 
the -birds she has caught. She holds 


162 G.-GRANDMOTHER OF TABBIES 


them in her mouth and her paws. That^s 
the story the picture tells, and if you 
don^t call that work/^ said Tabby, with 
a proud little whirry purr, “just try 
catching a bird yourself some time. 
There is no denying that we felines are 
a fine lot. But mind you, I donT ap¬ 
prove of all the branches of my family. 
There’s my cousin Stripey Tiger, who 
lives in India. I should n’t care to meet 
him, for I don’t like what I hear about 
his ways. Now if I may wash my face 
and paws before going, I think I had 
better be scampering along.” 

“Certainly, Tabby, make yourself at 
home,” smiled Cheerups. “And thanks 
for your interesting tale. No, not the 
handsome one you are wearing, but your 
story. It was splendid.” 

“I’m so glad you liked it, Mr. Cheer- 


I 


G.-GRANDMOTHER OF TABBIES 163 

ups/’ purred Tabby, as she finished 
her toilet. drop in again some 

day,” and with a light bound she \^as 
gone. 

^^Dear me,” sighed Cheerups, ^^all 
this talk about Egypt and India and 
England makes me restless. How jolly 
it would be to begin traveling again! I 
wonder what the Quixies would say to 
it? Where are those scamps, anyway? 
I never can keep an eye on them. Oh, 
Brighteyes, Quickear, Softfoot, Sniff- 
sniff!” shouted Cheerups. 

“Here we are, sir, ready for anything!” 
chimed the four little Quixies, dropping 
like a flash from the Great Breadfruit 
Tree and standing at attention. 

“Then if that’s the case, you young 
rascals, it’s a journey you’ll be taking 
before long,” chuckled Cheerups. “The 


164 G.-GRANDMOTHER OF TABBIES 

only question is, — where shall we 
go?’^ 

^^Oh, sir/^ gasped the Quixies in one 
breath, ^^how wonderful! We are aching 
to be off!^’ 

say, let’s go to India,” chattered 
Softfoot. 

Japan would be nice,” murmured 
Sniffsniff. 

China is better,” coaxed Quickear. 
think Australia would be more ex¬ 
citing, because we don’t know much 
about it,” piped Brighteyes. 

^^Brighteyes is right; we’ll go to Aus¬ 
tralia!” cried Cheerups, “and let’s go 
nowV^ With that he jumped on a flying 
leaf and soared away over the still green 
Jungle. Shouting with glee, each of the 
frisky little Quixies snatched a conven¬ 
ient breeze and followed. 


G.-GRANDMOTHER OF TABBIES 165 


“Isn’t this fun?” called Cheerups 
merrily. “We shall certainly broaden 
our acquaintance, and perhaps there will 
be folks in Australia who need help 
too!” 



I 




t 


% 


' I 

i 

• 

J 

•:> 

i 

k 








I 


X';. 





u 

( 


y 

t 

i 

» 

f 







\ 

\ * 


























